Designing London’s Recovery

I lead long walks for groups of retired people, mostly women, all over London - Capital Ring, LOOP, Thames Path etc - and finding public toilets that are open is a major preoccupation. Suburban station toilets are often closed during the day - the key available in theory, but from a closed ticket office. Another example of a problem - TfL map says there is a public toilet outside Hatton Cross Tube Station (on the LOOP) but it is closed/ no longer there. The station itself seems big enough to accommodate public toilets.

Definitely a need for more public toilets. But how are they to be be kept clean and safe? Even the ones in local library had to have restricted access due to anti social behaviour/drug use so it is a difficult problem to overcome.

In the last decade my London Borough Newham has reduced the number of public toilets in the High Street to zero when we had three separate locations but also around the borough apart from Stratford Station none of the tube stations or Bus stations have toilets and if they do they don't open them for the public to use. I wish that all licensed restaurants should as part of their license approval should make toilets available to use to the general public

I have multiple sclerosis so when I need to pee I really do need to pee. I avoid spending time away from home in case I need to pee and if I do need to go I would pop into a coffee shop or pub. I have no idea where there are public toilets near me and I would be afraid to use them if I needed because I would be worried they would be filthy.

We definitely need more public toilets - and not only in busy areas. For pregnant people and others who need to pee very frequently, outings can be very challenging and realistically, you're not just going to be in busy places. Knowing that there are enough toilets - and where they are - is key. I would also really like to see more accessible toilets, including (relevant for me) toilets that can accommodate a small child in a buggy. Too often, there is a toilet, but my only option to use it is to leave my child outside, or bring him in and sit him on the floor, and struggle to prevent him moving about touching the facilities while I pee.

I really appreciate the new toilets in the centre of London Fields. There are a good number of cubicles, each with individual entrances, and a number of them are large enough to be accessible to families and wheelchair users. My only concern with them is that, quite often, a large number of them are locked, presumably for maintenance.

The key consideration for me when using public toilets is cleanliness and availability of toilet paper. I also consider safety - if there are groups of men hanging about outside, particularly in an out-of-the-way location, I would be very cautious. It goes without saying (hopefully!) that public toilets should also be free - for use by those with minimal resources, but also recognising that in 2022, no one's carrying 20p coins.

Happy to pay a token amount (20p) if I can use a card reader. More confidence that they’re in a good state

I've hardly ever found public toilets in central London. I usually have to use toilets in shops/cafes. There should be more provision, particularly for disabled people. My late Mum was in a wheelchair and it's really hard to visit central London if there's no toilet provision if disabled or have other medical issues (without planning meticulously!).

Best wash facilities are the 'hole in the wall' ones that do soap/water/hot air without having to touch anything.
Ladies cubicles need to be large enough to turn around in without draping clothes/bags etc against the loo/walls/door.
Prefer not to pay to use! Maybe a donation slot for those that can afford it/have change?!

I prefer to use restaurant/pub and cafe facilities and have not used a public toilet since the last lockdown when the other facilities were closed. Maybe local authorities should be funding local businesses to make their toilets accessible to the public.

I generally use toilets in stations or shops when I’m out, I was unaware of the map, public toilets must be free to use as I don’t carry money. The royal parks should not charge, they can afford to allow free use.

Toilets should be free. We all need to go sometimes. Why tax it? A regressive uncivilised tax. If you really must, put a tourist tax on hotel bedrooms, theatre/football/cinema tickets etc to pay for them, but surely covered under rates etc already. Most places outside of London don’t charge because they want people to use them rather than urinate in street or alley. Ultimately reap what you sow.

Please get councils throughout London to provide purpose build accessible toilets in public places that have a scheduled cleaning and maintenance routine.
This should be funded by council tax.
People should not have to rely on facilities provided by eating /drinking places which they might not have patronised.
The lack of toilets mean that streets are disgusting and dirty as people are obliged to use inappropriate places.

I do not like unisex toilet facilities, and consider them culturally inappropriate in a diverse city.

I think charges should be kept to a minimum.

Every public toilet I've ever seen was either filthy and stank or was closed. It seems there are more men's toilets than women's ones open also. I often see the men's toilets open where the women's have been closed.
In central london (f they are open) they are often down steep steps which makes it impossible to use if you have mobility challenges, large bags, or are using a buggy etc. In greater london you can walk many miles without seeing a public toilet. If I need to go I will try to find a large station or ask politely in a pub.
On my way to work in central I have to walk down quite a few smaller streets. The smell of urine is unbearably awful as men are resorting to urinating on walls. It is also disgusting turning a corner and catching a man with his trousers down relieving himself in public. It happens SO OFTEN.
During lockdown in Central I really noticed how little public toilets there were as I couldn't ask in a private establishment. We had to cut our trip short as there was literally nowhere to use the toilet. I saw many people using bushes in the parks as there was nowhere else to go. It seems very strange that we live in one of the richest cities in the world and yet there's nowhere clean or close to use the toilet.