Concerns closure of public toilets in Bristol will hit most vulnerable

The closure of public toilets in certain areas of Bristol will discriminate against the elderly, children and people with mobility issues, opposition councillors have warned.

But Labour cabinet members argue that scrapping 18 existing facilities, to be replaced by a new community scheme, will actually improve provision, which is currently not fit-for-purpose.

The proposal to slash funding for public toilets on streets and some parks around the city – including those in Wapping Wharf, Eastville Park, Greville Smyth Park, Castle Park, Colston Avenue and Blackboy Hill – was agreed at a meeting in City Hall on Monday (December 4).

The move towards a network of publicly available loos provided by businesses, organisations and charities will save the council £400,000, but opposition councillors and campaigners have slammed the decision to go ahead with the cuts.

Green councillors appealed to the mayor to keep the toilets in Greville Smyth Park in operation

Southville’s Green councillors asked the mayor to reconsider the proposal to close the toilets in Greville Smyth Park due to lack of alternative provision in the area.

A petition to save the facilities by the Clifton Suspension Bridge was signed by 434 people.

Presenting the petition, Ciaran Elis said: “It is particularly an issue for the elderly, children and disabled. Access to toilets is about access to public open space.”

Charlie Bolton says the closures are ‘wilfully destruvtive’

Charlie Bolton, Green councillor for Southville, said: “I understand the need to make savings, but closing down every public toilet without looking at specific cases like this seems to me wilfully destructive. With a little more thought, the mayor could have protected important public facilities in some of Bristol’s most needed areas, and still made most of the proposed savings.”

Fellow Green councillor Stephen Clarke added “The proposed closure undermines the usage of Greville Smyth, and is a clear act of discrimination against older people, parents of young children, those with mobility issues and others.”

In a joint statement, David Redgewell of South West Transport Network, TSSA Bus Users UK and Ian Becky of Living Easton added their concerns about the impact of the closures on disabled users, and the knock-on effect on tourism.

Asher Craig has addressed a number of concerns about the closures

Asher Craig addressed concerns at the meeting, saying: “Access to publicly available toilets is important, but the current sites are not fit-for-purpose.

“At least 70 per cent of the provision must be, and will be, fully accessible. The aim is that by the time toilets close, there will be a working network in place.”

In response to concerns that homeless people will suffer if toilets are closed, she added that solutions are being sought by the council in partnership with St Mungo’s and could include making information available about facilities that welcome homeless people or have a dedicated site.

Harriet Bradley, Labour councillor for Brislington West, added her support for the changes, saying: “I actually believe that if we go ahead with this scheme it could provide better facilities than we currently have.”

She asked if the council will take a lead in recruiting businesses and organisations to participate in the new community toilet scheme and also urged members to look at places such as Brislington, where there are currently no public loos.

Read more: 18 public toilets set to close as funding slashed