A TikTok video depicting an unknown man urinating on a Northern Line tube seat has gone viral, prompting debate among Londoners as to whether TfL does enough to ensure tube cleanliness.
In the now deleted video (reuploaded by a different account below), the man is filmed leaning against a rail in an empty tube carriage whilst urinating on a priority seat. The original video was covertly filmed and allegedly took place at 4am.
Londoners have taken to social media to express their disgust, with some voicing their resolution to stand on the tube even if there are seats free. Others have taken measures to put a newspaper down on the seats before sitting.
Many of these videos have racked up thousands of views and comments, with users tagging TfL for comment. TfL have not yet issued a statement on the incident, and City News has reached out for comment.
‘I’ve seen people piss on the northern line like 4 separate times, I hate it’
This is not the first time that passengers have been filmed urinating on the tube. In February 2020, a man was filmed on the Northern Line peeing into a beer bottle and splattering his urine on the carriage doors. Similarly, a 2021 video made headlines after a man was shown urinating on the floor of the District Line. Both incidents were investigated by the British Transport Police.
This latest incident, however, has prompted many Londoners to come forward with more stories. One TikTok user called Zuhal Yousafzai posted a picture of an anonymous man allegedly peeing against a wall in Waterloo Station, with another commenter claiming to have âseen people piss on the northern line like 4 separate times, I hate itâ. It is unclear as to whether these incidents were reported and investigated.
Screenshot from a comments section on a video about the 2026 Northern Line incident.
Opinions are divided on how to fix the issue.
The incident has sparked discussions as to whether TfL are doing enough to ensure that the tube remains adequately hygienic. Some users argue that the upholstery of the London Underground seats should be replaced with wipeable plastic, while others call for seats to be deep cleaned more regularly. Among calls for punishments to be more severe (currently, indecent exposure can result in fines of up to ÂŁ1000), other users point to a lack of toilet availability as a potentially aggravating factor.
This latter argument may be partially supported by data. According to a 2025 investigation by the South West Londoner, there are various âtoilet desertsâ in the London Underground.
Graph compiled for South West Londoner article by Harry Crichton: ‘Lack of toilets on TfL leaves stoma users “trapped” in London’ 20.03.2025
Whilst TFL aim to keep passengers within 20 minutes of a toilet, data shows that Overground and DLR passengers can wait up to 35 minutes. In 2024, TfL pledged to invest ÂŁ3 million a year for five years to improve toilet facilities across the network.
More toilets have already opened across various Underground stations.
City News spoke to Raymond Martin, the Managing Director of the British Toilet Association, who was optimistic about change on the horizon:
“TfL themselves did a feasibility study, and we were part of itâŠI certainly know that they’re working through a program and taking the sort of worst first and working backwards. They just opened Morden.”
One of the new toilets in Morden Underground Station. Photo Credit: TfL
The Morden toilet opened on February 9 2026. Morden is one of the stops on the Northern Line, where the latest public urination incident took place.
Westminster Council have also reopened refurbished public toilets at Piccadilly Circus Station just last week. According to the Westminster Council website, “The Piccadilly Circus refurbishment is part of a wider programme to upgrade eight Council-owned public toilets in central London. The next site to be delivered is Green Park Station, followed by Carnaby Street, Westminster Bridge, Covent Garden and Leicester Square.”
Photo Credit: Westminster Council
‘People’s attitudes have got to change’
Raymond Martin was unconvinced that lack of toilet facilities were a valid excuse for public urination.
âPeople just feel that they can urinate in the street, urinate up against a car, underneath a tunnel, or in somebody’s back garden⊠People’s attitudes have got to change. There are toilets there, they are available, but they’re only available at certain times because we only have limited money to keep them open at certain times. And people have got to regulate…Not just stand in the middle of a train station and urinate. That’s not acceptable in a decent society.â
The man has not been found, and uncertainty persists as to whether the tube seat has been cleaned.
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HeadlineHas TfL got a problem with public urination?
Short HeadlineHas TfL got a problem with public urination?
StandfirstA viral TikTok of a man peeing on the Northern Line ignites debate about tube hygiene.
A TikTok video depicting an unknown man urinating on a Northern Line tube seat has gone viral, prompting debate among Londoners as to whether TfL does enough to ensure tube cleanliness.
In the now deleted video (reuploaded by a different account below), the man is filmed leaning against a rail in an empty tube carriage whilst urinating on a priority seat. The original video was covertly filmed and allegedly took place at 4am.
Londoners have taken to social media to express their disgust, with some voicing their resolution to stand on the tube even if there are seats free. Others have taken measures to put a newspaper down on the seats before sitting.
Many of these videos have racked up thousands of views and comments, with users tagging TfL for comment. TfL have not yet issued a statement on the incident, and City News has reached out for comment.
‘I’ve seen people piss on the northern line like 4 separate times, I hate it’
This is not the first time that passengers have been filmed urinating on the tube. In February 2020, a man was filmed on the Northern Line peeing into a beer bottle and splattering his urine on the carriage doors. Similarly, a 2021 video made headlines after a man was shown urinating on the floor of the District Line. Both incidents were investigated by the British Transport Police.
This latest incident, however, has prompted many Londoners to come forward with more stories. One TikTok user called Zuhal Yousafzai posted a picture of an anonymous man allegedly peeing against a wall in Waterloo Station, with another commenter claiming to have âseen people piss on the northern line like 4 separate times, I hate itâ. It is unclear as to whether these incidents were reported and investigated.
Screenshot from a comments section on a video about the 2026 Northern Line incident.
Opinions are divided on how to fix the issue.
The incident has sparked discussions as to whether TfL are doing enough to ensure that the tube remains adequately hygienic. Some users argue that the upholstery of the London Underground seats should be replaced with wipeable plastic, while others call for seats to be deep cleaned more regularly. Among calls for punishments to be more severe (currently, indecent exposure can result in fines of up to ÂŁ1000), other users point to a lack of toilet availability as a potentially aggravating factor.
This latter argument may be partially supported by data. According to a 2025 investigation by the South West Londoner, there are various âtoilet desertsâ in the London Underground.
Graph compiled for South West Londoner article by Harry Crichton: ‘Lack of toilets on TfL leaves stoma users “trapped” in London’ 20.03.2025
Whilst TFL aim to keep passengers within 20 minutes of a toilet, data shows that Overground and DLR passengers can wait up to 35 minutes. In 2024, TfL pledged to invest ÂŁ3 million a year for five years to improve toilet facilities across the network.
More toilets have already opened across various Underground stations.
City News spoke to Raymond Martin, the Managing Director of the British Toilet Association, who was optimistic about change on the horizon:
“TfL themselves did a feasibility study, and we were part of itâŠI certainly know that they’re working through a program and taking the sort of worst first and working backwards. They just opened Morden.”
One of the new toilets in Morden Underground Station. Photo Credit: TfL
The Morden toilet opened on February 9 2026. Morden is one of the stops on the Northern Line, where the latest public urination incident took place.
Westminster Council have also reopened refurbished public toilets at Piccadilly Circus Station just last week. According to the Westminster Council website, “The Piccadilly Circus refurbishment is part of a wider programme to upgrade eight Council-owned public toilets in central London. The next site to be delivered is Green Park Station, followed by Carnaby Street, Westminster Bridge, Covent Garden and Leicester Square.”
Photo Credit: Westminster Council
‘People’s attitudes have got to change’
Raymond Martin was unconvinced that lack of toilet facilities were a valid excuse for public urination.
âPeople just feel that they can urinate in the street, urinate up against a car, underneath a tunnel, or in somebody’s back garden⊠People’s attitudes have got to change. There are toilets there, they are available, but they’re only available at certain times because we only have limited money to keep them open at certain times. And people have got to regulate…Not just stand in the middle of a train station and urinate. That’s not acceptable in a decent society.â
The man has not been found, and uncertainty persists as to whether the tube seat has been cleaned.
The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed cases of the water-borne disease in parts of North-West and South-West London but are yet to identify a source.
