Peer calls for toilets on new Elizabeth line trains after passengers held up ‘for 10 hours’

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A Labour peer has called for toilets on Elizabeth line trains after an incident in December when passengers were held for hours without access to one.

Lord Berkeley called for facilities to be installed on any new trains built at the Alstom factory in Derby.

The rail manufacturer is in talks with the Government over potential new orders, with reports that new Elizabeth line trains could be requested.

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Lord Berkeley told the House of Lords: “In relation to the Alstom potential order from the Government for extra trains on the Elizabeth line, this is allegedly to cope with more passengers who will come off HS2 and want to go to somewhere else on the Elizabeth line.

“Could the Government confirm that the new trains, which could be up to 10 trains, will actually have toilets on them?

“Because in a recent incident on the Great Western, there were people stuck on those trains for something like 10 hours without access to a toilet.

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“And then they get criticised for jumping on to the track.

“Surely, in this day and age, the minimum should be at least one or two toilets that work on such trains which possibly go for one or two hours’ journey time.”

Transport minister Lord Davies of Gower said Lord Berkeley “makes a very serious point” and that he would get back to him on it.

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