More public toilets needed in Glasgow, new strategy recommends.

The number of public toilets in Glasgow should increase and all charges for using for public toilets should be removed, a new council strategy on public toilet provision has recommended.

A dedicated visitor centre in a prominent Glasgow city centre location, which incorporates a flagship public toilet facility and changing places unit, is also proposed within the ten-year strategy. This is the first time the council has developed a public toilet strategy.

Development of the strategy followed a meeting of Full Council in October 2023 where councillors agreed the importance of public toilets, recognising their availability as an equality and public health issue. The British Toilet Association supported a review of Glasgow's provision and a public consultation that received almost 2000 responses found that 95% of people felt there were insufficient public toilets in Glasgow.

In a paper presented at the council's Environment and Liveable Neighbourhoods Policy Committee, the strategy's 22-point action plan was found to create an opportunity for the city's public toilet services to promote improved health, social inclusion and economic value to the city.  Having improved public toilet services can encourage tourism within the city and help increased demand in relation to city events, the strategy has identified.

Councillor Laura Doherty, City Convener for Neighbourhood Services and Assets, welcomed the strategy as a means to improve quality of life among Glasgow's residents and visitors.

Councillor Doherty said: "Having access to public toilets can encourage greater levels of activity and fitness among our citizens by giving people confidence they can take a comfort break when they are out and about.

"Decisions on where people visit and how long they stay in an area can also depend on whether a public toilet is available.

"An effective public toilet service can therefore help to stimulate local economies. Money spent on a well-maintained public toilet service can generate spending in a community up to eight times the cost of operating the toilet.

"Over the course this strategy we want to increase the number of public toilets available in the city, end charges where they currently apply and also focus on providing a new, dedicated facility in the city centre.

"There are many other actions within the plan which also aim to improve safety, sustainability and accessibility within the existing provision and we will be looking closely at how we can implement this plan over the next ten years."

The public toilet strategy 2025-2035 was considered by members of the Environment and Liveable Neighbourhoods City Policy Committee and will now go forward to the council's City Administration Committee for final approval.

Full details can be found in the paper presented to committee, which is available via this link.