Toilets for bus drivers to be installed across Wellington

Bus drivers in Wellington will have brand new toilets installed that are "pleasant to use".

An update on the new facility will be presented to Greater Wellington Regional Council's Transport Committee on February 22.

The update comes after consultation with bus operators on the design of the new toilets, and work with Wellington City Council to transfer the ownership of existing driver-only toilets to Greater Wellington at no cost.

Existing driver-only toilets are currently owned and maintained by Metlink, with cleaning and consumables provided by operators.

Greater Wellington Transport Committee chair Thomas Nash said Metlink would always advocate for the wellbeing and working conditions of its drivers.

“All bus drivers are entitled to the basics as they go about their workday, least of all an accessible toilet that’s pleasant to use,” Nash said.

“The availability and standard of existing driver-only toilets has been an on-going issue, and I’m pleased it’s a problem we’re beginning to resolve.

“We’ll be working closely with our operators to ensure these new facilities are serviced on a regular basis to meet the needs of our drivers.

"This initiative is part of a wider push from council to proactively improve driver pay and conditions. It's also connected with a move towards greater public control and ownership of public transport, which we’ll be consulting on for the 2024 Long Term Plan."