TRAIN passengers visiting Southampton station are nowbeing charged to use the loo.

New turnstiles at the station toilets were put into operation over the weekend charging customers 20p to use the facilties.

But passengers have questioned whether it is fair to have to pay to use a toilet when they have already paid for a ticket to travel.

Rail commuters were last month stung with news of a higher than expected 6.2 per cent hike in the average fare from January.

Denis Fryer from South Hampshire Rail Users’ Group said: “It’s a bit mean, coming on top of huge increases in rail fares and car parking charges.

“I presume it’s something to do with the renovation of the station but Gloucester Central station has just been rebuilt and has got great newtoilets that are still free. It’s all down to the operator.”

A spokesman for the Campaign For Better Transport questioned whether the charge was providing a better service or whether passengers were “being taken for a ride”.

The station has recently undergone a £2.4m revamp to give it a new look and new facilities “fit for the 21st century”, including new toilets.

South West Trains, which operates Southampton Central Station, has been introducing the charges for toilets at its larger stations.

A spokesperson for the South West Trains/Network Rail alliance said: “We are introducing a small charge for passengers wishing to use the toilets at Southampton Central Station.

"The 20p charge, which will start during the autumn, will allow us to continue to provide a high quality facility for passengers and should help to encourage users to treat the facilities respectfully and with consideration for others.”