A trial funded by Bath & North East Somerset Council will see whether portable toilets stationed in Bath city centre during the early hours are the answer to stopping revellers using doorways, walls, and dark alleys to foul the streets.
Bath & North East Somerset Council is working with Avon and Somerset Police and Future Bath Plus to improve the night-time economy in Bath by making it even safer and more enjoyable for people to live, work, and visit. The portable toilets will operate from October 1st on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10pm until 3am. They will be positioned near Orange Grove Taxi Stand where Taxi Marshals will supervise the facilities.
Councillor Vic Pritchard (Conservative, Chew Valley North), Cabinet Member with responsibility for community safety, said:
“Mitigating the impact of the evening economy on Bath city centre is something that local residents, businesses, Bath & North East Somerset Council and Police all want to achieve. The Council is solely funding the twelve week trial to learn whether this initiative can make a positive difference to the urban environment at night. At the end of the twelve weeks, the Council wants local organisations and businesses to consider the results and, if successful, how the facilities might be funded in the future.”
The trial will take a break during the Christmas Market when portable toilets will be available and then return during Christmas and New Year for a further four weeks. The toilets will be delivered every evening and picked up in the early hours the following morning. The Council is also increasing the number of Taxi Marshals to supervise taxi queues at Kingsmead Square. They will direct people to the 24 hour public conveniences at Seven Dials, Monmouth Street.
Inspector Steve Mildren, Avon and Somerset Police, added:
“Few people realise that urinating in the street is an offence and we can issue offenders with on the spot fines of up to £80. Add to this people having a few drinks and people often feel a call of nature is more important than property or the thoughts of other people around them. Having these toilets will provide an easy option for those on a night out in Bath and will help us having to deal with people committing an offence. We want people to enjoy their night out in our city.”
Henry Brown, chairman of the Federation of Bath Residents Associations, commented:
“Urination in the streets is an unpleasant sight, and there aren’t enough public conveniences in Bath, so we welcome this trial of portable toilets. It needs to be accompanied by publicity about the nuisance of public urination. If the trial is successful, we hope that the improvements can be made permanent.”