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It could soon be ‘all change’ for the toilets at Preston railway station if plans for an upgrade are given the green light.
Train operator Avanti West Coast, which runs the busy interchange, wants to carry out a refit designed to make the existing bathroom facilities more pleasant to use.
The proposal – which also seeks to reduce the environmental impact of the toilets – requires permission from Preston City Council, because the station is a Grade II-listed building.
The male, female and specialist accessible facilities – all located between platforms 3 and 4 – would be revamped under the plans, along with the corridor used to access them.
An application to town hall planners describes the current toilets as being” relatively modernised”, boasting ”contemporary finishes including tiling to floors…modern cubicle partition systems and panelling to walls – and modern sanitaryware”.
However, if some recent online reviews are anything to go by, disgruntled passengers are far from impressed – at least with the way the toilets are maintained.
One comment on Trip Advisor simply warns: “Don’t go to the loo.” The reviewer, writing in July, added: “[The] toilets were disgusting, sanitary bins overflowing and floor wet.”
Another passenger, who sought relief while waiting for a train in August, said: “Most of the station is [okay], but I have to say the toilets at this place are a smelly disgrace. If you don’t want to breathe a lung full of airborne pee then maybe give this one a miss.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached Avanti West Coast for comment on the toilet reviews. Overall, the station has an average 3.5 out of five rating on Trip Advisor, with the majority of people ranking it as “very good” or “excellent”.
Preston station handles 4.8 million passenger journeys each year. According to Avanati’s application, the refurbishments are part of a scheme to improve the toilets at several of the stations they operate.
The aim, the firm says, is to “modernise the existing toilets in order to enhance the customer experience and to make energy [and] water savings by installing new lower energy LED light fittings and lower water usage sanitaryware appliances”.
Documents submitted to the city council state that the proposed revamp will not involve the removal or disturbance of any of the “original or historic building fabric, fixtures or fittings”.
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