In the same way that everyone needs water and food, everyone needs a safe washroom when in public, in case they have a sudden need for it, and whilst businesses are doing their part by installing toilet cubicles where they can feasibly do so, the lack of public washrooms is becoming a health and safety concern.
The severity of this worry was starkly illustrated by a Royal Society of Public Health report, which suggested that there are over 15,000 people for every public toilet in England.
This severe lack of provision was described in the report as a “public toilet desert”, and has the serious risk of stopping people from visiting their local area without either being mindful of their needs or risking their health doing so.
In this sense, a lack of public washrooms could be considered a health and safety concern, with a number of unfortunate consequences due to the lack of facilities.
Here are some of the biggest problems caused by public toilet deserts, how they affect both people and businesses, and what can be done to help fix the problem.
Why Are There Public Washroom Deserts?
The RSPH report collated information from 221 Freedom of Information reports and found that there are 14 per cent fewer public toilets since 2016, which was itself following a similarly dramatic closure of public washroom provisions.
The reason for this is that since 2010 and the imposition of austerity measures, the funding power of local authorities has fallen by over a quarter.
Given that there was little to cut in the first place, all “non-discretionary spending” was considered for cuts and reductions, including public washrooms.
As has previously been noted by both the RSPH and the British Toilet Association, local councils are not legally required to provide public toilets, leading to the tough decision being made to close some public toilets, reduce the maintenance of others and shorten operating hours.
This has led to the extreme case of there being just one washroom for over 15,000 people whilst out in public in England, although the figure is only 8,500 people per toilet in Scotland and 6,748 in Wales.
How Does A Lack Of Public Washrooms Affect Towns And Cities?
Public washrooms are a critical component of any healthy high street, and a lack of them can have considerable consequences for public health, businesses, reputation, hygiene and even criminal behaviour.
Public Health Effects
As people need to use a washroom, their time in public is limited to how long they can hold it in before reaching the nearest public convenience.
This phenomenon, known as the “loo leash”, is an issue for people with medical conditions that affect the bowel, bladder or prostate, parents with young children, older people and anyone else who would immediately need a washroom.
Even beyond necessity, some people will choose to deliberately dehydrate themselves in order to avoid the need to use a washroom that is inconveniently located, which has potential life-threatening complications.
Hygiene And Sanitation Effects
A lack of public washrooms puts greater pressure on the facilities already in place, which can leave them in poor condition, something compounded by cuts to maintenance budgets and cleaning schedules.
These problems reverberate out into the effects on other washrooms in the areas, spoil the nearby environment, and could even lead to potentially criminal activity.
Criminal Behaviour
Overlapping issues of hygiene and sanitation are the problem of relieving oneself in public if there are no alternative facilities available.
Whilst some local authorities have by-laws preventing public urination, not all of them do, and they are not always enforced in the places where they do exist. In some cases, public disorder and even littering laws are used to try to stop it.
Beyond this, however, a lack of funding and provision for public washrooms encourages anti-social behaviour and vandalism.
Reputational Effects
A public area without any washrooms often garners a reputation as the inevitable effects of a lack of facilities compound, with people feeling particularly unwelcome and opting to stay away from a public space.
A public toilet desert is not typically a space that people want to spend significant amounts of time in.
Business Effects
The effects of all of the above can combine and compound to leave businesses struggling with lower sales.
If people cannot comfortably reach your shop, store or restaurant, they are more likely to stay away, which can have a negative effect on everyone.
One way around this is to take part in a community toilet scheme, where non-customers are also allowed to use your facilities. However, this is only a partial solution to a significant issue.
Related Posts
