Southern Railways has been slammed by union officials for introducing new trains into its fleet which will not have on-board toilet facilities. Although the company claimed that the new trains would mostly be operating on services which lasted for less than half-an-hour, the decision has been branded unacceptable.

Passenger Focus, an independent watchdog for the railways, said the decision was unfortunate, especially for those travelling with medical conditions, the elderly and those who have young children. Southern Railways runs the connection between Brighton and Portsmouth, a journey which can take up to one-and-a-half hours.

Rail Maritime and Transport Workers’ union boss, Bob Crow, said the decision not to have toilets on the trains would create unacceptable conditions for staff and passengers. He added that the connection between the major south coast cities had always had toilets in the past and the service was now in danger of turning into something resembling cattle trucks.

A spokeswoman for Southern Railways said the new train designs were to create more space for passengers. There will be new seating and space for wheelchairs and bicycles. Other operators run trains without toilet facilities on-board, she added.

A spokesman for the Department for Transport confirmed that there were no government rules about the inclusion of toilets on the country’s train services. He added although it was expected that companies should provide a decent service, it was not up to government to impose rules about the facilities provided. Passenger Focus’ chief executive, Anthony Smith, said although the trains will provide more space it was a shame they were not also providing toilets.