Lumo cancels toilets on six-hour London to Stirling trains
Operator confirms reliability issues after 58-minute delay forces passengers to switch to ScotRail
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Lumo has withdrawn toilet facilities from its six-hour trains between London Euston and Stirling, citing reliability problems with the onboard systems. The 417-mile route, launched in 2023, connects the Scottish city to the capital with five daily services in each direction.
A Lumo spokesperson told the BBC the company is experiencing issues with some toilet facilities on its West Coast Main Line services. The operator is working with Alstom, which refurbished the Class 222 Meridian trains used on the route, to resolve the faults.
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Delays and diversions
The 06:11 departure from London Euston on Friday was delayed by 58 minutes and terminated at Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, instead of Stirling. Passengers were advised their tickets would be accepted on ScotRail services for the remainder of their journey.
Some Lumo services have since added extended stops at stations such as Preston, allowing passengers to use platform toilets. The operator first warned of a toilet fault on a Stirling to Crewe service on Saturday.
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No legal obligation
Train operators in Britain are not required by law to provide onboard toilets. Lumo, which operates on an open-access basis without taxpayer subsidies, sets its own fares and bears all revenue risk. The company is not affected by the government’s renationalisation of franchised rail services.
Olly Glover, Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, criticised the situation on social media. "Is Lumo attempting to become the Ryanair of the rails?" he wrote.
What happens next
Lumo has not announced a timeline for restoring toilet facilities. Passengers affected by delays or cancellations should retain their tickets for use on alternative services, including ScotRail. The operator has not indicated whether compensation will be offered for disrupted journeys.
Questions this report answers
+Why are there no toilets on Lumo’s London to Stirling trains?
Lumo has removed toilet facilities due to reliability issues with the onboard systems. The operator confirmed it is working with Alstom to fix the problem but has no legal obligation to provide toilets on its services.
+What happened to the delayed Lumo train on Friday?
The 06:11 service from London Euston was delayed by 58 minutes and terminated early at Motherwell. Passengers were told their tickets would be accepted on ScotRail services for the rest of their journey.
+Can passengers claim compensation for disrupted Lumo services?
Lumo has not stated whether compensation will be offered for delays or cancellations caused by toilet faults. Passengers should retain their tickets for use on alternative services, including ScotRail.
+Are train operators legally required to provide toilets?
No, train operators in Britain are not legally required to provide onboard toilets. This means passengers have no formal recourse if facilities are unavailable or faulty.
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