All cisterns go – Directgov at your convenience

Directgov has detailed a new initiative which will encourage local councils to do more in halting the decline of the great British public loo.

By adopting pioneering new approaches to boost access to public toilets across the country, it’s hoped that issues such as anti-social behaviour and ’street fouling’ will be reduced.

One such approach will be a new ‘SatLav’ mobile text scheme which sends immediate information about the nearest toilet and opening times. Successfully pioneered in Westminster, for 25p people can find their nearest public toilet on their mobile phone by text.

The service is part of a government strategic guide – the first of its kind – which will ask local councils to look at a range of things they can now do to provide better access and better quality toilets across the country.

The guide will say that clean and accessible public loos are important to everyone – but critically important to particular groups such as disabled or older people and families with young children.

Poor quality provision in towns and city centres, the guide will say, contributes to anti-social behaviour through ’street fouling’ and poor hygiene standards.

As well as the mobile text ‘SatLav’ schemes, Communities Minister Baroness Andrews will encourage councils to consider a range of innovative ideas including:

• local shops and businesses opening their toilets to the public and being paid by councils
• councils levering in more money from developers for public toilet provision through the planning system
• giving councils the discretion to charge for toilets and urinals that they own and run, as per private toilets in train stations

Read about the strategic guide at Directgov.

Published: 07 Mar 2008

Tags: Mobile