MobilityNewsCouncils blame public toilet closures on Disability Discrimination Act Councils blame public toilet closures on Disability Discrimination Act
By Jayne Warren - 28/10/2008
Will matters lavatorial eclipse the weather as Britain's number one obsession? Quite possibly, after a new report by the Community and Local Government Select Committee called 'The Provision of Public Toilets' has claimed that local authorities are using the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) as an excuse to close public toilets - estimated at 40% over the last eight years.
But it seems that Local Authorities should no longer carry on at their own convenience when it come to the provision of public toilets.
Chair of the Committee Dr. Phyllis Starkey MP, said: "Our over-riding recommendation is that the Government imposes a duty on Local Authorities to develop a public toilet strategy, which should involve consultation with the local community. This will go a long way towards achieving the right of people who live in and visit this country to have accessible and clean public toilets - wherever they live, work or visit."
The British Toilet Association (BTA) has been campaigning for better ‘away from home toilets’ throughout the UK since 1999, and contributed to the Government's Strategic Guide 'Improving Public Access to Better Quality Toilets' published on 6th March 2008. It also gave written and oral evidence to the Committee which published this report today.
Mike Bone, BTAs director, wrote: "Although falling short of the BTA's demands, this recent report offers hope to all who need to use public toilets in England: males, females, families with babies and young children and those with physical or mental disabilities that need accessible toilets with all of the facilities that they require.
"The report also recommends that LAs use their many existing powers to ensure that more public toilets are available through planning, licensing and leasing powers, by running public toilets themselves, or by paying local businesses, such as shops, cafes and pubs, to provide public access to their toilets (Partnership Toilet Schemes).
"It wants LAs to provide a ratio of 2:1 public toilet provision in favour of women to address the current lack of female facilities. Other recommendations include standard public toilet signage across the country, better information about public toilets and their location, and the encouragement of establishments selling food and drink for consumption on the premises to provide toilet facilities for customers.
"We support this report - but will continue to campaign until the British public can enjoy the availability of public toilets when and where they are needed."
And BTA's 'Loo of the Year Awards', also mentioned in the report, will continue to recognise the best toilets in the UK.
To find our more about the BTA write to: British Toilet Association, PO Box 847, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 5AL. Phone/Fax: 01403 258779. Or visit the link below.