To the great relief of customers at the railway station at Balham in South London, train operator Southern Railway has created two new Ladies’ and Gents’ toilets at the station.

Southern Railway used its station improvement programme to create the two toilets on Platforms 1 and 2 from what originally was used as a staff area. Facilities for staff have now been moved to another area that has been extended for their use.

For many years there was only one toilet, which was an accessible facility but was available for all passengers, meaning that there was a good probability it would be engaged.

With the new toilets, the huge demand for the station’s single toilet which was also an accessible facility has been greatly eased. It can now be kept free for those who need it most, but also means that there will be more time for their cleaning and maintenance. The two new toilets will also have an accessible facility to support disabled passengers.

Keith Jipps, Infrastructure Director for Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern services, said: “This is a neat conversion into smart new facilities for our customers. These improvements might seem small but they make a very welcome difference to comfort and travel experience for thousands of passengers using the station.”