Operators admit target to end ‘disgusting practice’ by the end of the year will not be met

A pledge to end the dumping of human waste on railway tracks in England and Wales by the end of the year will no longer be met, Network Rail and train firms have admitted.

Although Network Rail’s former chief executive, Mark Carne, said in 2017 he had secured government agreement to end the “disgusting practice” by 2019, several companies will continue to use trains whose toilets flush directly onto the track.

In 2017 the Department for Transport had said all franchises would compel firms to ensure trains had modern toilets, but several operators have now applied for exemptions. Labour said it was “totally unacceptable that railway workers continue to endure such unsanitary conditions in the 21st century”.

East Midlands Railway, whose contract was awarded to Abellio only this year, may not phase out some offending rolling stock until 2023, it has emerged. It has been given permission to continue dumping sewage on the track from fast trains running between London St Pancras to cities including Nottingham and Sheffield.

A spokesperson said most trains were already fitted with tanks and others were being removed or retrofitted. He added: “We completely support the drive by Network Rail to remove all trains without controlled emissions toilets by the end of 2023 and are already working towards having all our trains operating with tanks by the end of 2020.”

Others still believed to be operating trains that dump excrement on tracks include Northern, West Midlands, ScotRail and Transport for Wales. A West Midlands spokesperson said that non-compliant toilets on older carriages would be locked and out of use from the end of the year.

ScotRail said it was fitting retention tanks to its high-speed InterCity trains during a refurbishment programme “as soon as possible”. Transport for Wales said it was investing in new trains, phasing out the last offending rolling stock by 2023.

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald promised to seek assurances from ministers to end the practice. He said: “Both train operators and the government promised two years ago that the toxic practice of trains dumping raw sewage onto the railway would be over by this year.

“This dirty business stinks and is yet another broken promise from ministers and train company bosses who have proved time and again that they cannot plan the rollout of new rail infrastructure and trains in any sort of co-ordinated way.”

Network Rail said that the alternative to issuing exemptions would have been to remove certain trains from use, meaning possible cancellations. A spokeswoman said: “We are committed to putting an end to trains emptying waste onto the tracks and we are working with all operators to make this happen.

“There are a few train companies that have been given a bit more time for a small number of their trains and we are tracking their action plans closely to make sure they comply.”