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Cambridge rail worker's health fears over excrement spray Cambridge rail worker's health fears over excrement spray
(about 3 hours later)
Railway workers fear for their health after repeatedly being sprayed with an "unpleasant" mist of human faeces by passing trains, a whistleblower claims. Rail workers are being sprayed by human urine and faeces from passing trains, putting their health at risk.
The Cambridgeshire worker said Network Rail staff were "genuinely concerned" about excrement, urine and sanitary towels on the tracks. A Network Rail worker staff were "genuinely concerned" about excrement, urine and sanitary towels on the tracks.
Passenger waste is discharged from trains not fitted with retention tanks. Network Rail accepted that train toilets which emptied on the track were "outdated and unpleasant" for track workers.
Network Rail wants trains to be modified but said it would need industry "effort" and "funding". Greater Anglia said it was hoping to phase out toilets which dump waste.
The whistleblower, a Network Rail employee who works across the East Anglia region, said it had been an issue for "some time". The man who works across the East Anglia region said: "A train would be coming and we'd stand back the recommended distance.
He told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "A train would be coming and we'd stand back the recommended distance.
"It's not unusual to feel a spray, a kind of mist in the air. That's bad enough, but then you walk back to where you've been working on the tracks there's [faeces] everywhere.""It's not unusual to feel a spray, a kind of mist in the air. That's bad enough, but then you walk back to where you've been working on the tracks there's [faeces] everywhere."
'Outdated and unpleasant' 'Effort needed'
The discharge could lead to employees contracting the norovirus, said Cambridgeshire doctor Chris Smith. Passenger waste is discharged from trains not fitted with retention tanks.
The majority of trains running through Cambridge station are operated by Greater Anglia, First Capital Connect and CrossCountry.The majority of trains running through Cambridge station are operated by Greater Anglia, First Capital Connect and CrossCountry.
More than half of Greater Anglia's trains in the Cambridge area do not have retention tanks. The other two operators' trains do not discharge on to the track.More than half of Greater Anglia's trains in the Cambridge area do not have retention tanks. The other two operators' trains do not discharge on to the track.
Network Rail accepted that train toilets which emptied on the track were "outdated and unpleasant" for track workers. "We'd like to see them replaced or modified, but this requires effort from across the industry and funding," said a Network Rail spokesman.
"We'd like to see them replaced or modified, but this requires effort from across the industry and funding," said a spokesman.
The Department for Transport said the government recognised "this is a very unpleasant experience for railway workers and the public" and was "working closely" with Greater Anglia on a fleet upgrade.The Department for Transport said the government recognised "this is a very unpleasant experience for railway workers and the public" and was "working closely" with Greater Anglia on a fleet upgrade.