‘Access to public toilets is an equalities issue’

There is work to be done to improve public conveniences in Bristol, which is the focus of an upcoming free event, Let’s Talk about Public Toilets.

Local authorities are not required to provide public toilets, and their closure may be seen as an opportunity to reduce costs in times of austerity, but the issue should be considered in the wider context of economic wellbeing, quality of life, public health and inclusion.

Good quality public toilet facilities add to the range of amenities required to support visitors to our city, with associated benefits for the local economy: visitor-related spend in Bristol was estimated at nearly £1.2bn in 2019 when there were around 1.9m domestic staying trips, 13.6m day-trips and more than 636,000 international visitors.

Meanwhile, numerous mobile workers – delivery drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, police officers and others – need access to public toilets as they go about their duties.

Lack of toilet facilities encourages street fouling, as illustrated during the pandemic restrictions when the closure of public toilets and business premises led to an escalation in the number of people going to the toilet in streets, parks and public spaces. Cleaning up the mess is an unpleasant and costly task for local authorities.

Small children have less control over their bladders and, if there is no public toilet available, the choice for the carer is either to go home or find a less hygienic place.

Those with babies to change may be forced to find an outside alternative, often leaving a soiled nappy behind and incurring additional waste collection costs for the local authority.

Toilet attendant Victoria Hughes was recently honoured in a new sculpture by Getting Up To Stuff – photo: Martin Booth

Access to public toilets is an equalities issue

Women who are pregnant or at the menopause need to use the toilet more often, and menstruating women and girls require access to clean toilets.

The World Health Organisation cites public toilet provision as an essential feature for an Age-Friendly City, since older people are more likely to suffer urinary incontinence and the lack of toilet facilities may stop them going out, with the potential for adverse impacts on their physical and mental health.

Disabled people, and those with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease, may stay at home because of the lack of public toilets; while carers also need to know there are toilets in accessible locations with facilities to accommodate the needs of those for whom they are caring.

When considering budgets, it is important to remember that some of the costs of health and social care fall on local authorities, while supporting physical activity and enabling social inclusion can reduce demand.

So, the lack of public toilets can cause embarrassment and distress; reduce independence and opportunities for physical activity; cause particular problems for children, women, mobile workers, disabled people and people with chronic illnesses; incur costs related to medical, social and hygiene services, and; affect the perception of visitors and tourists.

Watershed are currently renovating the toilets in their top foyer to create “a space where everyone feels they belong” – image: Watershed

What should be done?

Opportunities should be sought to upgrade existing buildings to provide fully accessible toilet facilities partially funded through the incorporation of a kiosk, exhibition space or pop-up small businesses.

Where resources are under pressure, local authority priority should be given to ensuring the availability of public toilets in areas where there is no other provision.

Local authority provision may be complemented by community toilet schemes, through which businesses and organisations offer access to their toilet facilities.

But it should be acknowledged that Bristol’s current community toilet scheme is not working well: facilities vary and are not accurately described, some premises are listed but not available in practice, and many people are unaware of the scheme which is poorly signposted.

Measures to enhance community toilet schemes include a financial contribution from the local authority to cover the costs of additional toiletries and cleaning; regular checks of the accuracy and quality of provision; signs alerting people to the community toilet scheme at entry points to an area, and consistent use of prominent stickers in the windows of participating premises, with information about the facilities provided.

Let’s Talk about Public Toilets is at Watershed on October 25 from 7pm-9pm. Speakers include Nikki Cotterill, Professor In Continence Care at the University of the West of England, Barbara Segal and Charlotte Warmington of ACORN Bristol, and Helen Jaffe of Watershed. To register to attend for free, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lets-talk-about-public-toilets-tickets-421268534527

Suzanne Audrey is a senior research fellow in public health and co-director of Bristol Health Partners’ SHINE health integration team

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read next:

• Bristol’s community toilet scheme: fundamentally flawed or full of potential?
• Temporary toilets installed in the Harbourside
• Campaigners refused entry to ‘public’ toilets across Bristol as council scheme falters
• Retelling the story of Bristol’s most famous toilet attendant

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