REGULAR


The public toilet problem


David Garcia, Chair of the British Cleaning Council (BCC), says that public toilets are essential infrastructure the country can no longer ignore.


A recent report has provided further evidence why the campaign by BCC member the British Toilet Association (BTA) for a drastic improvement in public toilet provision needs to succeed.


According to analysis by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), the number of


public toilets in England has fallen by 14% in just a decade, leaving some communities facing what campaigners have described as ‘toilet deserts’.


The figures are stark: England now has just one public toilet for every 15,000 people, far behind provision levels in Scotland and Wales. Across the UK, we have witnessed the gradual disappearance of public conveniences from high streets, parks, transport hubs and community spaces. Their absence has very real consequences for public health, social inclusion and local economies.


I believe clean, accessible public toilets are not a luxury or optional extra. They are essential public infrastructure. That is why I want to highlight the vital work being carried out by the BTA, which campaigns to improve toilet provision and hygiene standards across the UK.


Since launching in 1999, the BTA has worked tirelessly as a not-for-profit organisation promoting high standards in all ‘away from home’ toilet facilities. The challenge facing the UK is considerable. The BTA estimates that nearly half of all public toilets across the country have been lost since 2011, largely as a result of local authority funding cuts.


As a result, older people, disabled individuals, families with young children and those managing health conditions increasingly find themselves planning journeys around toilet availability, or avoiding trips altogether.


Public toilets are fundamental to dignity, confidence and equality. In a modern society, nobody should feel unable to leave home because they fear they will not be able to find a safe and hygienic toilet. As well as potentially damaging health, inadequate provision also discourages people from visiting town centres and contributes to declining high streets.


Quite simply, people are less likely to visit, shop or socialise in places where they cannot access clean, safe and well- maintained facilities. If we want thriving town centres and


24 | TOMORROW'S CLEANING


vibrant communities, we must provide the infrastructure people need to spend time safely and comfortably in public spaces.


The cleaning and hygiene sector understands that well- maintained facilities do much more than fulfil a practical need. They support public health, encourage social participation, strengthen local economies and help communities thrive. They are one of the clearest indicators of how much we value public wellbeing and dignity.


The problem is not just a lack of funding. One of the biggest challenges remains the fact that local authorities currently have no statutory duty to provide public toilets. As a result, provision is inconsistent and often vulnerable when budgets tighten.


The BTA has been campaigning hard for the Government to set down a legal statutory ‘duty’ for local councils to develop a toilet strategy. There are signs the Government is beginning to listen.


In 2024/2025, BTA representatives met the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Alex Norris MP, who was very receptive, only for him to move to a different role. Fortunately, his successor, the Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE, has promised to meet the BTA.


Meanwhile, the Government’s Pride in Place initiative, announced in late 2025, could represent an important turning point. The £5bn programme aimed at regenerating neighbourhoods and improving public spaces offers councils an opportunity to invest in upgraded or newly developed toilet facilities.


It seems that the BTA is closer than ever to finally winning its battle to convince the Government that public toilets are an essential public service, deserving of long-term investment and commitment.


www.britishcleaningcouncil.org x.com/TomoCleaning


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56