RAIL union Aslef said it would boycott an industry meeting on safety measures for train drivers demanding action rather than “talking shop.”

Industry regulators as well as train and freight operators gathered today a year on from an Aslef report warning conductors lacked adequate toilet facilities.

Aslef general secretary Dave Calfe said he worried the industry was rowing back on commitments to address the issue, adding: “We need action, not another talking shop, and no more broken promises

“Eighteen months after we exposed this scandal, drivers are still paying for industry inaction with their health.

“Our members are still going for extended periods without toilet breaks and access to adequate toilet facilities, leading to them having to deliberately dehydrate themselves, and deal with urination, defecation, menstruation in unsafe and unhealthy ways.”

The Office of Rail and Road said it had been “clear in raising this issue with industry and setting expectations for improvement.”