New research has revealed there is just one public toilet for every 15,481 people in England, as experts warn that widespread ‘public toilet deserts’ are putting public health at risk.
Based on over 200 freedom of information requests sent by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), the findings show a 14% reduction in public toilets since 2016 – a decline the RSPH attributes to a 26% fall in local authority funding power since 2010.
Previous RSPH research found that one in five people leave home less often than they would like due to inadequate toilet provision, while half restrict their fluid intake to avoid needing to use one.
The RSPH is calling on new strategic authorities to take on an overarching duty to ensure sufficient provision in their areas, backed by central government funding. It is also urging that private developers be required to include public toilets in non-residential developments.
By comparison, Scotland and Wales — where councils have greater spending flexibility — have significantly better provision, with around one toilet per 8,500 and 6,748 people respectively.
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