Leeds councillor warns public toilet shortage a ‘barrier’ for older people exercising

Wetherby councillor Penny Stables said the issue was proving a “barrier” to elderly citizens being able to walk and cycle.

Pre-pandemic data suggests Leeds has just 37 public toilets, which equates to around one for every 22,000 residents. Several of those are at the likes of cemeteries and libraries, rather than in the middle of busy shopping areas.

The city council is in the middle of a three year pilot scheme in the Burmantofts and Richmond Hill areas, which is trying to tackle underlying social problems that make walking and cycling less attractive.

One issue under consideration is the number of public toilets, councillors a meeting of the council’s climate emergency advisory committee were told on Monday.

Councillor Stables, who was elected in Wetherby for the Green Party earlier this year, asked if the number of toilet facilities across Leeds might increase.

She said: “I think actually that’s a barrier in terms of active travel and particularly in terms of the older population.

“They’re worried about going too far in case there are no public toilets.

“I think it would increase participation in active travel, if there were more public toilets.”

Anna Frearson, a consultant in public health at the council, said she was unsure if there’d be a city-wide increase off the back of the trial scheme.

She told the meeting: “The pilot is within Burmantofts, Harehills, and Richmond Hill, so there’s no plans at this moment in time to go any further than that.

“It’s very much about what we need in that local area.

“So ‘no’ is the short answer. But it’s definitely part of the approach (with the pilot scheme), in terms of making sure people can walk and have the facilities they need.

“I don’t know if it will increase the numbers (city-wide), I really don’t at this point.”