– This was against all common sense. It has really upset me a lot, says Wenche Mikalsen from Trondheim. She has a chronic intestinal disease. Sometimes it is urgent to find a toilet. When she heard that the toilets were closed on AtB’s long-distance buses in Trøndelag, she thought at first that it was not true. – There was no information about this, and I had not read or heard about it, says Wenche. Fantastic, says Wenche Mikalsen about the judgment which states that AtB will not be allowed to drive with closed toilets on long-distance buses Photo: Private Judgment takes on great significance A unanimous Discrimination Board rules that toilets cannot be closed on long-distance buses. The judgment will have great significance for the practice of Norwegian buses in the years to come. That’s what Mads Johansson says, general secretary of the Gastrointestinal Association. – The decision of the Discrimination Board is a final judgment. This means that this practice will not be able to happen in the future, he says. The verdict means a lot to everyone who needs a toilet when they travel on the buses on slightly longer journeys. Several of AtB’s routes have a duration of over three hours. – I am very happy. We have fought very hard and for a long time. I am glad that it has been established that the practice is discriminatory. This is what we have meant all along, says Mads Johansson. Wenche Mikalsen has had an intestinal disease since she was 13 years old. Then she needs the opportunity to go to the bathroom. – I am really happy that the company is getting a slap for this. I have been upset. This is fantastic, says Wenche Mikalsen about the verdict. A long struggle led. The verdict will have great significance in Norway, says secretary general of the Gastrointestinal Association, Mads Johansson. Photo: Private Opens the toilets on the buses The judgment means that the bus company AtB in Trøndelag will open toilets on six different routes in the near future. That’s what director Harald Storrønning says to news. – In February, AtB made a new assessment of the decision to close the toilets while driving. We then came to the conclusion that our practice affected too many people who were dependent on frequent toilet visits, he says. It was in autumn 2021 that they introduced a ban on the use of toilets on long-distance buses while driving. When passengers need to use the toilet, they must first ask the driver to stop the bus. Only when the passenger has finished using the toilet can the bus continue its journey. This has been done for the safety of the passengers. The Stomach and Intestine Association demands that new practices be introduced immediately, and that the dogs be opened. – It is too bad to say in the near future. We told the company over a year ago. They could open the toilets immediately. So for me this is not good enough. The toilets must be opened now. Intestinal disease Wenche Mikalsen has had an intestinal disease since she was 13 years old. Then she needs the opportunity to go to the toilet when she is travelling. That is why she has fronted the fight for toilets together with the Gastrointestinal Association. – I am really happy that the company is getting a slap for this, says Wenche. ATB has always said that they have closed the toilets on the long-distance buses for reasons of traffic safety and security requirements. – We take note of the judgment, says director Harald Storrønning of AtB. The company now wants clarification from the National Roads Administration on how the regulations on the use of seat belts on buses should be understood. – We recommend a new exception provision in the regulation, which allows travelers to use the toilet while driving, says Storrønning to news. This applies to buses in class three (tour buses that do not allow standing passengers). During seat belt checks carried out by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, travelers have previously been charged for standing or walking on the bus, or when they have come from the toilet. AtB has ordered the reclassification of the buses so that they can allow toilet visits while driving. Photo: AtB
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It is illegal to close the toilets – news Trøndelag
