New ‘environmentally friendly’ are replacing older models that emptied toilet waste directly onto tracks.

All of Greater Anglia’s new trains collect toilet waste in large tanks, so they can be flushed away safely at depots rather than being discharged onto train tracks.

This means 191 new trains in total - with a total of 442 toilets on board – will see the upgrade.

And 66 new trains already in passenger service, with most of the rest due this year.

The Controlled Emission Toilet (CET) services are currently in use at Ilford, Orient Way, Norwich Crown Point, Southend, Colchester and Cambridge depots.

Stephanie Evans, Greater Anglia environment and energy manager, said: “Toilets which collect waste rather than dumping it on the tracks are one of the many environmental benefits of our new trains.

“It’s another way that we are reducing our environmental impact and it will also help to improve the local environment for passengers at stations, residents living near railway lines and Network Rail’s track workers.

“We would like to remind passengers on old trains without controlled emission toilets not to flush the toilet at stations.”

The new trains are fitted with large tanks, which should hold enough waste for over three days of average use from rail passengers.

Once the tanks are full, or the toilets’ cisterns and basins run out of water then the toilets automatically become out of order, as computer diagnostics indicate the toilet tank levels.