Morden Station Pioneers New Toilet Facilities on London Underground Network
Transport for London has marked a significant milestone in its ongoing accessibility improvements, with Morden Underground station becoming the first to benefit from new toilet facilities under a comprehensive £15 million programme. The newly unveiled facilities represent a major step forward in making London's transport network more inclusive for all passengers.
Gender-Neutral and Accessible Design
The newly installed toilets at Morden station feature both gender-neutral design and full accessibility provisions, including baby changing facilities. This installation follows Mayor Sadiq Khan's commitment to allocate £3 million annually toward introducing toilets at strategic tube stations, with the ambitious goal of ensuring passengers are never more than 20 minutes from facilities without needing to change trains.
Morden was prioritised for this first installation due to its status as a terminus station on the southernmost section of the Northern line's Morden branch. This strategic location means the facilities will serve significant numbers of commuters traveling to and from central London.
Expanding Accessibility Across London's Transport Network
Currently, toilet facilities are available at 155 locations across TfL's extensive transport network, with an additional 40 toilets situated within stations not directly managed by TfL. The programme represents a concerted effort to address what has long been identified as a significant gap in passenger amenities.
John McGeachy, Campaigns Manager at Age UK London, welcomed the development: "London's transport network should be accessible for everyone and that can't happen without better provision of toilets. These new toilets at Morden station are very welcome. Many people using Morden station are travelling to or from central London and having toilets there will make those journeys more comfortable."
Ongoing and Future Installation Projects
The Morden installation forms part of a broader accessibility programme that has already seen results across London:
- Accessible toilet facilities opened last year at Clapton, Seven Sisters and White Hart Lane London Overground stations
- New accessible toilets will be installed next at New Cross Gate and Acton Central London Overground stations
- Major refurbishment works are currently underway at Amersham Underground station to convert existing customer toilets into fully accessible facilities
- Further new accessible toilets will be installed at Colindale, Leyton, Northolt and West Ham Underground stations
- Surrey Quays London Overground station will receive facilities as part of wider station enhancement works
On the Elizabeth line, all stations on both the eastern (Stratford to Shenfield) and western (Acton Main Line to Reading) sections already feature customer toilets, setting a benchmark for accessibility across newer transport infrastructure.
Improving Passenger Experience and Network Accessibility
McGeachy further emphasised the broader impact of such improvements: "There may also be some people that start using this stretch of the Northern line where previously they avoided it. Good public transport can make a huge difference to people's lives and any work to reduce barriers is vital."
He expressed hope that "this momentum continues with more toilets on the network in 2026 alongside work to increase awareness about the locations of toilets."
To assist passengers in locating facilities, TfL has developed a Toilet Tube Map that clearly indicates all toilet facilities across the network, including those with baby changing provisions and wheelchair accessibility. This resource represents an important step toward making existing and new facilities more discoverable for all passengers.
The Morden installation represents just the beginning of what promises to be a transformative programme for London's transport accessibility, with multiple stations across different lines scheduled to receive similar improvements in the coming months and years.
