Publicly Accessible Toilets An Inclusive Design Guide. - phlush

PAGE 1Publicly Accessible ToiletsAn Inclusive Design GuideGail Knight and Jo2Anne Bichard

PAGE 3About the authorsGail Knight is a Research Associate at the Helen HamlynCentre for Design, Royal College of Art. She graduatedfrom the RCA in Industrial Design Engineering in 2007and her MA dissertation focused on the role of thewomen’s public toilet as a public2private space.Gail is an award2winning designer whose idea for SatLav,realised by Westminster City Council, was incorporatedinto the Department of Communities and LocalGovernment guidance on publicly accessible toilets. Shewas awarded a special commendation for her work onThe Great British Public Toilet Map, the key deliverable forthe TACT3 Challenging Environmental Barriers project.Jo9Anne Bichard is a Co2Investigator of the TACT3project, Principal Investigator of the RATs project anda Research Fellow at the Helen Hamlyn Centre forDesign, Royal College of Art. Jo2Anne has spent manyyears incorporating an inclusive design perspectiveinto design research on public toilets and has publishednationally and internationally on the subject.Jo2Anne is the co2author of the Accessible ToiletResource (2007) and The Inclusive Design of PublicToilets in City Centres in Designing SustainableCities (2009) and is currently completing her PhD atUniversity College London. Her thesis explores howthe design of public lavatories has failed to cater tothe needs of the public.

PAGE 4How to use this guideThis guide has been developed from an inclusive designphilosophy. It aims to incorporate the needs, aspirationsand desires of people of all ages, abilities and ethnicities,who will become the future users of its design outcomes.‘Publicly accessible toilets’ refers to all toilets that thepublic can access without having to buy anything. Thisincludes those in shopping centres, parks and transporthubs, as well as the public toilets and community toiletschemes provided by the local authority.This research uses current examples of good and badpractice to illustrate solutions.The guide has been developed for built environmentprofessionals such as architects, planners and designers,and for providers of publicly accessible toilets, such aslocal authorities, to help them to make design decisionsabout their facilities.Publicly Accessible Toilets – An Inclusive DesignGuide has been produced to complement thefollowing resources:The Accessible Toilet Resource a guide that focuses onthe design of the accessible ‘disabled’ cubicleAt Women’s Convenience A handbook on the design ofwomen’s public toiletsBritish Standard BS6465: Part 4 which has beendeveloped especially for the design and managementof public toiletsDetails of these publications are given in the ‘MoreInformation’ section at the end of this guide.We have also aimed this guide at members of the publicwho may be seeking examples of provision that is moreaccessible for all potential users, or how public toiletsmight be managed by the community.

PAGE 5Contents0607081224262832343738Why This MattersResearchReal ToiletsPaying for the ToiletWhy Women QueueCommunity Case StudiesThe Great British Public Toilet MapDesign IdeasWhat Next?More Information

PAGE 6Why This MattersWe live in an ageing society.In order to maintain our health and wellbeing into oldage we are encouraged to adopt healthier lifestyles.Many activities that support health and wellbeing takeplace outside of the home, from taking walks in the localpark to meeting up with friends and relatives for socialengagements.Most design solutions for our ageing society havefocused on the decline of eyesight, hearing, physicalmobility and cognitive function. However, after dementia,the loss of continence is the greatest fear of manyolder people and often becomes the primary reasonfor people to move into managed care environments.Whilst urinary function reduces with age, it can also bediminished by medication taken for the managementof chronic health conditions such as heart failure, someforms of cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.There are a number of socio2cultural factors thatprevent wider dialogue about publicly accessibleembarrassed to discuss these needs or that it is seen as‘funny’. Yet the issue of accessing and using a toilet whenaway from home is a serious barrier to wider participationin public life.As our ageing society reframes the retirement age,working lives will be extended resulting in more peoplecontinuing to commute. Therefore it is essential in ourinfrastructure that we have access to toilets throughoutthe transport journey if we are to support the needs ofthe ageing body.Continence conditions have made many older peoplelimit the amount of time they are away from home, andin some cases, can be a major contributory factor instopping them from leaving home altogether. In 2008,Help the Aged (now Age UK) found that being incontinentis very distressing for older people, causing socialisolation, embarrassment and discomfort for millions.A report on public toilet provision (Help the Aged, 2007)locate a public toilet, 78% found public toilets not openwhen they needed them and over half (52%) agreedthat a lack of provision prevented them from going outas often as they liked. So important is the issue of toiletprovision for health and wellbeing of the global ageingpopulation that the World Health Organisation has citedit as a major factor in their Age Friendly Cities Guide.

PAGE 7ResearchThe Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal Collegeof Art has undertaken two research projects on publiclyaccessible toilet provision.RATs 9 Robust Accessible ToiletsESRC Connected Communities ProgrammeRobust Accessible Toilets (RATs) focuses on the issueof misuse of toilet facilities, and how the needs of themany have been overshadowed in the design process bythe behaviour of a few. RATs aims to bring together twodistinct design perspectives, those of Design Out Crimeand Inclusive Design.Publicly accessible toilet provision has never beenmore diverse, with a range of providers offeringfacilities in public buildings, stations, shopping centres,supermarkets and local businesses, as well as AutomaticPublic Conveniences (or ‘Superloos’) offered by localauthorities. Where problems exist they are oftencommunity that use it.RATs has used interviews taken from the TACT3 project,and produced case studies of toilet provision in an urbanneighbourhood, a village, and a London borough in orderpotential solutions. The research aims to bridge the gapbetween user2driven design needs and anti2crime advice,as some solutions can lead to legitimate users beingdesigned out of facilities along with anti2social activities.TACT3 9 Tackling Ageing Continence throughTheory, Tools and TechnologyNew Dynamics of Ageing ProgrammeTACT3 has been funded by the New Dynamics of Ageingprogramme, ‘a seven year multidisciplinary researchinitiative with the ultimate aim of improving quality oflife of older people… the largest and most ambitiousresearch programme on ageing ever mounted in the UK.’As a collaborative research project between severalacademic and public sector organisations, TACT3 hasexplored the issue of continence management forolder people through three key areas: the provision ofcontinence management services; the development ofuser2centred assistive technologies; and the challenge ofenvironmental barriers to continence. The Helen Hamlynthe provision of toilets when away from home.The research was carried out over three years between200822011. In year one we interviewed 101 people of allages, abilities and backgrounds about the challenges thatthey face in using publicly accessible toilet provision. Inyear two we spoke to providers of publicly accessibletoilets so that we could understand the challenges thatthey face in providing good quality toilet facilities. In theaddress the key challenges faced by members of thepublic and providers.TACT3 is lead by Brunel University and includes theBristol Urological Institute, the University of Manchester,Dalarna Research Institute and the Helen Hamlyn Centrefor Design at the Royal College of Art.

PAGE 8YASMIN , Age 26Yasmin has had Irritable Bowel Syndrome for fourto plan her day knowing that she will have access to atoilet, and privacy from other people.“ Sometimes my mum will go and see what newplaces are like and report back to me… because itwould just be a disaster if I went somewhere andthey didn’t have loos there. I would just come homeagain. I don’t go places I don’t know.”toilets that she relies on are either closed or unclean.“ Even a map of the town might tell you where theyare but it won’t tell you what they’re like, and if onewas dirty but I have to go, well I have to go. I don’thave a choice. So it’s really annoying when there’sno toilet roll, no soap. It’s basics.”After her diagnosis she applied for a RADAR key. Thisallows her to unlock many accessible (disabled) toiletsthat are provided exclusively for RADAR key owners. Theaccessible toilet often offers a better facility for Yasminthan using one of the cubicles in the Ladies.“ it’s quite embarrassing when you’ve got somethinglike IBS … you just want your privacy and you’remore able to get that in a disabled toilet.”The other advantage of the accessible toilet is that it isoften vacant.“ I’m not brave enough to explain that I can’t waitas long and I don’t think that people would reallyput up with it either ... they’ll be like, ‘Well you canqueue like everyone else’ but at the same time, well,some people can’t wait that long unfortunately.”characteristics and opinions that came out

PAGE 9LEONARD, Age 82Walthamstow, London, Retired DoctorLeonard is 82. He has been using a walking aid for thelast ten years and can comfortably walk around his localneighbourhood.“ I’m scared to go further because I’d have to go in abus and I don’t know where the toilets are.”If he is to spend a couple of hours out of the house thenhe will need local toilets that are easily accessible.“ As long as there’s a handrail on the stairs I’m alright,I just have to go slowly and hope that nobody sort oftries to rush behind me. It would be a big no9no for.. but at that time when the call to nature has comeand I’m trying to hold everything together, I don’tneed to be negotiating stairs at that point.” donot provide adequate provision.“ Transport terminals are generally good but my localstation doesn’t have one.Another place has a public loo but they keep it shutand you have to go and knock on a door and getthe key and go and unlock it. What they will claimis that if they leave them unlocked they will getvandalised.”Leonard once had a bad experience where he wasrobbed in a public toilet. He now thinks that all toiletsshould have attendants.“ They should have a building, where there can be anattendant with cubicles and a safe environment.”He is frustrated about the misuse of some local toiletsand the overall decline in provision.“ I went along to the police station and complainedabout it. Nothing happened, but the place got shutdown. This is what worries me. People seem toforget that nature doesn’t switch off just ‘causethey close the toilets.”mind could help providers to improve theirpublicly acessible toilet provision.

PAGE 10PAUL, Age 38Shropshire, PhotographerPaul is married with three young children. When he isout with his family he has a very different experience ofpublicly accessible toilets compared to when he is byhimself.“ I was quite amazed with one department store.They have, like, sofa areas where you can feed withyour bottle, almost like a café but for people withbabies. It’s like a whole other world. People come inand go ‘so how old is yours?’”He and his wife have found that their routines havechanged depending on which places have child2friendlyfacilities. In particular, they’ve changed how and wherethey do their shopping.“ The out9of9town shopping centre is sterile and nota great shopping experience, but if you have a kid itis easier and makes you suddenly go less into town.”His main problem is when he is looking after his 52year2the Mens with him because of people using the urinals.and a lady offered to take her into the Ladies andlook after her. I had a tiny twinge but then I thoughtthat doesn’t really occur very often”“ You have family changing rooms in many swimmingpools and I feel that some thought might be given tofamily toilets.”Paul often feels that his only option when with his familyis to use the accessible toilet. This provides both thespace for the pushchair and the children, and a unisexfacility for his daughter.“ I see it as accessible to disabled people ratherthan exclusive to, and it affords me a comfortableenvironment where I can take a young child. I thinkunisex toilets are the way forward.”characteristics and opinions that came out

PAGE 11JUDITH, Age 60Like many older people Judith has high blood pressureand has been prescribed water tablets to manage this.However this medication causes Judith to need to ‘usethe loo’ more frequently.“ They make you go a bit often. So when I come outfor the day I don’t take mine. Tempting providence.”She keeps active by running, but the nearest park to herdoes not have any toilet facilities.“ I try to do 5km each day, you know. I go around thehouses and then up past the Tesco, because at myage you need a toilet break!”Judith often cares for her mother, who is in her late80s. Each week she takes her to the supermarket andher own need for a toilet can hamper the trip.“ …when I turned back again she had disappeared. Ithen had a real dilemma because on the one handknow where my mother was”Judith also has to think about her mother’s needs.“ For mum too… to be honest, that’s why I don’tsuggest that she joins a local pensioners group.her one big concern.”She doesn’t mind paying if it guarantees a cleaner toilet.“ I was invited to a hotel this weekend and that waslovely, they even had cologne, and big mirrors soyou can do your makeup, and a very nice lady whoyou could tip. I was happy to put a pound in thedish.”“ A lady a little older than me said ‘Well the next timeI am out shopping and I need the loo I am going tocome here!’”mind could help providers to improve theirpublicly acessible toilet provision.

PAGE 12Real ToiletsThis section uses examples from real toilets to describeways to make publicly accessible toilet provisionmore inclusive for the wider population. Firstly, we willintroduce some of the different types of toilet provisionthat may be new, problematic, or a cause of tensionbetween different user groups.These are:Community Toilet SchemesAutomatic Public ToiletsDirect Access ToiletsAccessible ToiletsCOMMUNITY TOILET SCHEMESMany local authorities are starting Community ToiletSchemes, in which the local authority pays an annual feeto businesses to cover costs, allowing the public to usetheir toilets. These schemes can be a cost2effective wayof supplementing existing public toilet provision, and aretherefore increasingly popular with councils. However,informing the public (especially visitors) of the schemeand of the providers involved is more of a challenge.” If (the business provider) has got a big poster for‘Hen’s Nights’ then next to it a Community ToiletScheme sticker, they think it doesn’t really go.”Toilet Schemebe placed at ‘entrance points’ to the area, such as carparks, town centres and public transport hubs, so thatvisitors know what to look out for.their window, to inform passers2by that their toilets areavailable, and of the types of toilet that they provide.toilets on town centre maps are all good ideas. Theseshould include details of the business’s toilet facilities,the distance, and the opening hours.such as libraries and leisure centres.

PAGE 13AUTOMATIC PUBLIC TOILETS“ Lots of people don’t like using APCs. I’ve never usedone and I’m not sure I ever would! And they’re veryexpensive. Very, very expensive…”Automatic Public Toilets (APCs, or ‘Superloos’) havebecome a popular option for local authorities becausethey have been designed especially to prevent anti2social behaviour. However they remain unpopular withmembers of the public, especially older women, andparents have reported their children being frightenedwhen using them.“ Y ou feel silly standing outside having to readinstructions on how to go to the toilet”Woman in her 50spotential users.information design or mechanical failure.which leaves people feeling vulnerable and exposed.“ Those ones in the market, I don’t like ‘em… they’reso in your face. There’s no privacy or dignity there.I was in one and it opened!”Woman aged 76However the APC does provide a clean, accessible,24hour toilet facility. If these challenges can be resolvedthen the APC may have a future as a late2night toilet tosupplement the overall toilet provision.

PAGE 14Real ToiletsDIRECT ACCESS TOILETSor by modifying an existing toilet block. Each cubicle opens directly onto the street, with hand2washingfacilities inside.in each cubicle door. This provides a way for localauthorities to charge for the use of the toilets.opportunity for loitering in a communal area.including male, female, unisex, wheelchair2accessible,adult changing (‘Changing Places’), family and baby2changing units, and a separate urinal.busy town centres.isolated unit, as this is less cost2effective for cleaningand maintenance services who need to make regularvisits.“ I think that without an attendant (traditionalpublic toilets) wouldn’t be very desirable. But Ibelieve in Cambridge they have a sort of carouselarrangement, with the doors facing outwardsso there’s no question of people hanging aroundinside.” Woman aged 79 with poor mobility

PAGE 15ACCESSIBLE TOILETSAccessible, or ‘disabled’, toilets are for people whorequire extra space, most notably people who usewheelchairs or need help from a carer. However,standard cubicles in the men’s and women’sfacilities are also inaccessible to other groups, whichincreases the pressure on the often lone, unisex,accessible cubicle.For exampleof the standard facility, or into the cubicle itself.If the standard cubicles were designed to meet moreof these real requirements of users, it would reduce thepressure on the accessible toilet. The accessible cubiclewould then be more readily available for anyone whorequires the extra space.“ I’ve been shouted at by someone in a wheelchair fordaring to take my child into the toilet with me”Woman, 37, with child age 3unattended whilst they use the toilet.to leave the other person unattended. `likewise for carers and those that they are caringfor), the often unisex nature of the accessiblecubicle can be the best solution.inaccessible to many.accessible facility.queue for a standard toilet.disposal bin within the cubicle, which is morecommon in accessible cubicles.observe hygiene rituals in keeping with their faith orcultural practices.

PAGE 16Real ToiletsFinding the ToiletFinding the toilet quickly and discreetly is veryimportant for many people, especially those withcontinence concerns.“ Because toilets don’t make money they putthem in the place where the shops don’t wantShopping Centre Architect© East Herts CouncilPrinted maps that show thecouncil’s public toilets are useful,but the best maps also includepublicly accessible toilets that arenot council2managed, like those intrain stations.Council websites usually haveinformation about the toilets withintheir boundaries. One improvementcould be to provide links to thetoilet page on neighbouring councilwebsites.Maps in the urban environmentoften miss out toilet information.This one shows the toilets andindicates the walking distancein minutes.

PAGE 17Directional signs for toilets aremore useful if they include thedistance, the opening times, thefacilities available and if the toiletsrequire any payment.People need toilets at transportinterchanges, so bus and trainstations should have facilities.Bus stops should show toilets ona local area map, or have signs tonearby facilities.Community Toilet Schemes need tobe advertised in both printed mapsand in signs and maps in the physicalenvironment.Lighting is a way of indicatingwhether a toilet is open or not.Lighting facilities outside of openinghours attracts and misleads users.The entrance to a toilet needsa clear sign to show where it isand what it is, particularly in largespaces like train stations anddepartment stores.A map at the entrance that showsother nearby toilets, including thosein a community toilet scheme, canalternatives if this toilet is closed.

PAGE 18Real ToiletsACCESSING THE TOILETEverybody needs to use the toilet so they need to bemade accessible and inviting to all potential users.“ Cabbies often complain about a lack of toilets butare really objecting to a lack of toilets with parking”Toilets are more accessible if there isnearby parking for bikes, taxi servicesand private vehicles. This shouldinclude disabled parking spaces.Barriers such as turnstiles can bepeople with wheelchairs, pushchairsor luggage. Attendants can spend alot of time helping people through.Many public toilets do not havedoors to the main facility. A wallprovides privacy for the peopleinside. This arrangement is betterfor access, safety and hygiene.Public toilets that are well2maintained on the outsidesuggest a nice facility, and that thetoilet is not ‘public property’ butrather it has an ‘owner’, which canhelp to reduce vandalism.Seating is important for thosewho are less mobile and for thosewaiting for people inside. A localnoticeboard or area maps could alsoencourage people to the building,improving natural surveillance.Siting public toilets next to other‘waste services’, such as communalbins, can give a negative attitudetowards a facility that already has animage problem.

PAGE 19from what it looks like on the outside”37 year old woman

PAGE 20Real ToiletsINSIDE THE TOILETIt is important that the inside of the toilet is wellmaintained. It must be clean, hygienic, safe andinclusive, and provide the privacy necessary for apersonal activity in a public space.“ If you go into the toilets there’s pot purée,certainly believe that if you treat people welland make it like your own home then theybehave much better”Woman, 53, with urinary incontinenceAdding colour to a facilitydoes not need to cost extra,and can make the toilet looknicer. It can also provideessential contrast betweenobjects for people withvisual impairments.surface and mirrorsfor people to use willencourage users to staylonger, increasing thevalue of the facility and thenatural surveillance.Appropriate vending, suchas these hair straighteners,could add value for usersof the facility. Sensitiveadvertising can generateextra income.a healthy environment andgive the impression thatthe facility is cared for andvisited regularly.Gaps under cubicle doorsand partition walls reduceprivacy and leave the uservulnerable to theft.If multiple urinals, sinks orhand2drying facilities arebeing provided, a range ofheights will cater for peopleof all ages.Simple things like a stepstool can make adultfacilities more accessibleto small children.for those with arthritis.An accessible door, onethat can be shut, locked,unlocked and opened withprovided for all cubicles.

PAGE 21“ Some of them you are supposed to put yourhands under the tap and the water comeson automatically, some of them you aresupposed to push the top down, some ofthem you are supposed to turn round andsome of them don’t work.”Woman aged 74“ I absolutely hate those toilets where you’vegot a sanitary bin squashed up against one legand a toilet roll dispenser squashed against theother. An extra ten centimetres would mean Idon’t have to touch those things.”Mother, 37, of a child aged 3Local area maps are usefulfor people to plan theirnext move, especially if themaps show the location ofother toilets.Sharps bins are useful forpeople who need to injectmedication. Safety pin ordisposable razor symbolsshow other uses and reducethe association with drug use.Offsetting the toilet withinthe cubicle would allow morespace on one side for thenecessary bin. Alternatively,a bin could be built into thecubicle wall.Some men have Paruresis(Shy Bladder Syndrome).Dividers between urinalsoffer men more privacy.A hook near to the toilet orsafe from theft, and withinreach for those that need toaccess personal belongings.People carry lots of itemsin their hands: handbags,shopping, drink bottles,umbrellas, folders. A shelfBins are essential for peopleusing continence pads. Theymust be provided for bothmen’s and women’s toilets.There is a need for anall2purpose bin to takecontinence, menstrual andgeneral waste, so that itcan be provided inside thecubicle in the limited spacethat is available.

PAGE 22Real ToiletsCLEANING AND MAINTENANCEThe public toilet is for some peoplea place of work.a place to park and a storage room forequipment.place to sit.Having the same cleaners for the same facilities helps tocreate a sense of ownership for the cleaners and bettercommunication with the public.“ There is a suggestion to stop having full9timeattendants. This is driven by budget cuts, but thereis a legitimate argument. In the middle of winterthere may not be any visitors around at all”Park Manager“ She gets paid, she has a white net curtain which sheshould have a look! And the toilet is clean and if it’sraining they put down cardboard so it doesn’t get allmuddy. Nice toilet.”Woman aged 72, prescribed water tablets“ Elsewhere in the station if you want to ask aboutsomeone else, but in the toilets you’ve got nochoice. So language is important. It should be apriority job.”London Station Manager“ At the time there was a lot of concern from councilmembers about drug abuse. We certainly didn’twant to provide an opportunity for that, so we feltquite strongly that it was attended.”“ That’s part of the beauty of having someonecleaning every toilet at every visit, he has to waitfor each toilet to be empty, and therefore noticesif someone’s hiding in one. “Cleaning Contractor

PAGE 23This countdown clock reassures people that the toilet isregularly visited, clean and well managed.Communication between the public and cleaning staffcould be improved by introducing the attendants, as inthis Japanese facility.Information signs could show different ways in whichto get in touch, such as phone, text and email, to suitdifferent needs.Providers should request feedback from the public ontheir facilities, in order to show their commitment, andimprove cleaning, maintenance and management.

PAGE 24Paying for the Toiletones that also provide the concessions so you canbuy food and drink. That really bugs me actually.”40 year old womanMandatory payment requires some sort of barrier. Thiscould be a gate, turnstile or coin2operated lock, butthese mechanisms can prevent legitimate users fromaccessing the facilities. There is also the risk that thesemechanisms can fail, rendering the facility out of order.There are two reasons given for charging for publiclyaccessible toilets.“ Just a small amount, 5 or 10p, and you would knowyou were safe in there. Because then you wouldn’tget anyone and everyone drinking, smokingand doing naughty things which does happensometimes.”64 year old man with poor mobilityIt also raises expectations. If the public are paying for aanywhere there is no money, it’s not.”55 year old man with diabetesHowever, there are many people who object to beingcharged to use publicly accessible toilets. Sometimesthey feel that they’ve already paid for the facilities, eitherthrough taxes or other services.“ You’ve paid to get on this train the ridiculousamount of money that it costs, and then the stationcharge you 20p to go to the toilet. And they’re the“ The vast majority of calls are for the locks. Peopleput money in and it doesn’t work, or it’s alreadyjammed.”Maintenance ContractorSometimes people cannot use facilities because theydo not have the right change.“ It is utterly ridiculous that you have to pay 20p. Imean hands up if you have even got a 20p coin onyou, so for me if it is not free then it is not a publictoilet”48 year old woman with a child aged 8There can also be unintended consequences for theprovider.“ We would never charge for toilets in the [cityentertainment district], as charging wouldencourage people to revert to street urination. “Supervising or manually operating a gate can take a lot“ If the machines are out of change, or they’ve got5ps which the turnstiles don’t take, the easiestthing is to let them through for free.”Station Manager

PAGE 25In the future, other forms of payment may be moreconvenient for the public, such as tokens, swipe cards(like TfL’s Oyster card), or small payments via creditcards (like Visa Wave)Revenue can also be raised in other ways, throughadvertising, sponsorship or vending.Some councils waiver the fee for certain groups, likeresidents, older people, people with disabilities or councilwho should and shouldn’t pay for the toilet, particularly inlight of equality legislation.“ You can’t say to someone you can’t use the toiletbecause you can’t afford to pay. You can’t switchnature on and off.”Man aged 71 with poor mobility and prescribedwater tablets

PAGE 26Why Women QueueQueuing for the Ladies has become an accepted partof life that everyone simply ‘puts up with’. However,the reason why this situation befalls women is a simplequestion of numbers.There are two contributing factors:than womenThe male and female sections of a publicly accessiblespace. Women are provided with cubicles, whilst themen are provided with a combination of cubicles andurinals. As a urinal takes up less space than cubicles,this results in a men’s toilet facility with more ‘places topee’ than the women’s toilet facility.a manThe average time it takes a woman to use a cubiclehas been measured at around 90 seconds. For a man,the average time to use a cubicle or urinal is half this(45 seconds) (Greed, 2003). There are a variety ofcultural and biological reasons why women take longer,including anatomy, dress, menstruation, the likelihoodof infection and continence conditions, and overallmobility (considering that a larger proportion of olderpeople are female).Number of men and women that can use a facility ofEven providing an equal number of ‘places to pee’ formen and women does little to redress the balance, stillallowing twice as many male to female users in the sametime period.Only when women are provided with twice as many toiletfacilities as men do we see an equal provision.Number of men and women that can use a facilitywith 1:2 male/female ‘places to pee’, in a 5 minuteperiod:The numbers shown are merely used to illustrate whywomen are often found queuing for the loo, and assumea steady arrival of users, immediate turnaround of users,and that everyone takes the average time to use a toilet.Clearly this is not realistic.30121818However the ratios of men and women who can use each

PAGE 27‘More toilets for women’ is supported in the BritishStandard 6465 Part 4 (2010), which includes moreaccurate calculations on how many facilities to providefor different numbers of users, and in different situations(a publicly accessible toilet at a football match is unlikelyto attract equal numbers of men and women).Legislation requiring 2:1 female2male ratio is emergingin the USA. New York City Council passed a ‘potty parity’law requiring 2:1 provision in all public buildings in 2005.In the UK the Equality Act 2010 might help raise levelsof provision for women.Statutory Code of Practice Section 11.3 states that‘A wide range of services are covered by the actincluding permitting access to and use of any placewhich members of the public are permitted to enter.Among the services which are covered are thoseprovided to the public, or a section of the public,by local authorities, such as toilet facilities…’CC Image 'Well9behaved' courtesy of Drift Words on Flickr

PAGE 28Community Case StudiesVILLAGE TOILETSMenter Bro Aled: Llansannan, North WalesIn 2009 the community council in the Welsh villageof Llansannan held a community2wide appraisalto understand the needs, wants and aspirations ofresidents. It transpired that the issue many peoplewere concerned about was the threatened closure ofthe village’s public toilets.To try to stop this action, the village began negotiationswith Conwy County Borough Council, which was verywelcoming to their request to take over the ownershipof the toilet facilities. However, there were a number ofoverheads that the community council would have torates (£1800). So the village decided to register as alimited company with charitable status, ‘Menter BroAled’, which would make them eligible for grants andfor discounts on the rates.They successfully applied for a 100% rate rebate andnegotiated £4000 from the local authority towardsrestoring the provision to a working standard, a signof Conwy Council’s support for this local initiative.Village activists who were involved in the building tradeprovided many of the necessary skills for the restorationof the building, and work was carried out on a voluntarybasis. Cleaning of the toilets is also voluntary by thelandlady of the local pub.The toilets have been in local ownership for a year nowand there have not been any problems with anti2socialthe toilets are used extensively, especially by deliveryand service drivers, as well as walkers and other touristspassing through.Word has spread of the toilets to other areas and ithas become a ‘toilet to be seen’. It is considered animportant element in attracting visitors to the village’sshops and services.In light of this experience of taking over the toilets,Menter Bro Aled are now looking at other community2based initiatives. Said one member of the communitycouncil, “As it happens for us, there was no choice –we either did it ourselves or have no toilets. Andonce you go down that lane of having these facilitiesclose, the village will deteriorate”.The village faced some problems in restoring thetoilets. Weather damage meant that new roof tileswere needed, plumbing had to be repaired andwindows replaced. However, they found that thewas only about 25 years old.© Alwyn Williams

PAGE 29NEIGHBOURHOOD PROVISIONClapton Improvement Society:Brooksby’s Walk ToiletsClapton is located in Hackney in East London, one ofthe 2012 Olympic boroughs. The area of Clapton, whilstconsidered one of the most disadvantaged in the UK,has a strong and vibrant community with a network ofneighbourhood activists.In 2011 neighbourhood activists noticed that the closedpublic toilet facilities on Brooksby’s Walk had beenaccessed and left open. On investigation, they found thatthe facilities inside were in good order and decided toclean them up.A new market has just begun in the area drawingcustom for members of the community and visitors.As there were no other public toilet facilities in theneighbourhood, the activists felt that public toiletswould relieve some of the pressure put on local smallbusinesses for toilet provision.One of the activists commented that even as they werecleaning up the toilets for opening, people were “comingin asking if they could use the toilets – so we knewthere was a need.”By May the toilets were ready and the neighbourhoodactivists decided to open the facilities by turning theladies toilets into unisex provision and holding ‘Eventsand monies raised were put towards managing andmaintaining the toilets.© Iain MacIntyreUnfortunately, the local authority did not agree with thiscommunity2based initiative and sealed the toilets afterand a petition of 750 signatures generated enoughinterest for the local authority to offer a ‘peppercornlease’ to the community group to take over the publictoilets. They have drawn up a business plan thatincludes income generation from holding local ‘Eventsin the Gents’.When considering how to address possible anti2socialbehaviour within the facilities, neighbourhood activistsdrawing on 30 years experience of working with thecommunity proposed that ‘if it’s community9ownedand community9managed it won’t get damaged’ aspeople know who the facilities belong to. In contrast,‘public sector’ facilities are faceless and lack a senseof ownership.SEECLAPTON IMPROVEMENT SOCIETYwww.claptonimprovementsociety.orgBROOKSBY’S WALK TOILETSwww.claptonimprovementsociety.org/brooksbys9walk9toilets/

PAGE 30Community Case StudiesPUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE TOILET PROVISIONLondon Borough of WandsworthThe TACT3 and RATs research projects carried out a study ontoilet provision in the London Borough of Wandsworth andfound that numbers increased from nine automatic publictoilets provided by the council to 112 publicly accessibletoilets. A publicly accessible toilet is a toilet that the public canuse without having to buy anything.The central problem of publicly accessible toilet provision isthat many people do not know which toilets they can use.Franchised high street chains in particular cause confusion,as one business manager may decide to join the communitytoilet scheme, yet the same named outlet in another partof the borough may have a ‘customer use only’ policy.A few national non2franchised stores have entered intogoodwill agreements with the Mayor of London’s ‘OpenLondon’ scheme. They do not receive a payment for theirparticipation. Consequently it is not possible to require theparticipants to display signs.People often expect toilets to be provided at bus, tubeand train stations, however provision is inconsistent inWandsworth. The train stations that do provide toilets do soon the platform2side, so it could be argued that they are onlyavailable to ‘customers’.Wandsworth Council only provide information on the facilitiesthat the council manage (including the community toiletscheme). No public body provides information that includesall of Wandsworth’s publicly accessible toilets.Map Image © Open Street Map Contributors, CC9BY9SA

PAGE 31LOCAL TRANSPORT AND PARK PROVISIONLondon Borough of LewishamThe London Borough of Lewisham is located in South EastLondon. In 2008 its population was estimated to be aroundLondon and the highest proportion of Caribbean residentsin inner London. Every November, Lewisham holds London’strain stations on the mainline and London Overground line,and three Dockland Light Railway (DLR) stations.Currently, no information exists on Lewisham’s publictoilet provision, but observation of areas in the boroughfound that the provision was serviced by Automatic PublicConveniences.Members of Lewisham Pensioners’ Forum told of how theyoften rely on the toilet provision of chain stores and fastfood restaurants, as they know these will be clean and wellmanaged. Other facilities they relied on were those in thelocal civic centre, although some mentioned that they hadbeen denied access on occasions.The two key areas where the participants felt toiletprovision was vitally needed were in the parks to supportthem when they take exercise, and within the borough’stransport network.Although Lewisham has a good reputation for park provision,members told how toilet provision within some parks waswoefully inadequate. They added this not only causedproblems for them but also for children. One membercommented on the approaching school summer holiday‘it’s going to be mayhem if there’s not toilets available’.Many of the forum’s members spoke of once well2maintainedtoilet facilities by local train stations, being closed down. Thisthose who have continence concerns.Some members of the forum told how they didn’t go out asmuch or as far as they would like because of the lack of toiletsat local train stations. As one member stated ‘very seldomdo I go out unless I’m sure there are going to be toiletssomewhere’.In addition it was raised that any toilet provision had to be wellmaintained, with hooks and shelves for coats and bags, soapand hot water for hand drying, and a sense that the toiletswere cared for.

PAGE 32The Great BritishPublic Toilet MapTHE GREAT BRITISH PUBLIC TOILET MAPThe provision of public toilets is fragmented. Thereare 406 councils in the UK who are responsible forpublic toilet provision (although there is no statutoryrequirement for local authorities to provide publictoilets at all).However information about where public toilets are,when they are open and who they are accessible tois essential for people with continence concerns, toimprove their quality of life.of public toilets that anyone could access in order tocreate local, regional, customisable or online mapsand smartphone applications. However with so manycouncils responsible for public toilets, the information tocreate this is currently not available.A Key outcome of the TACT3 research project will beThe Great British Public Toilet Map, a publicparticipation website to improve information aboutthe UK’s public toilets. The Great British Public ToiletMap aims to encourage local authorities to provide andmaintain public toilet information as Open Data.The purpose of the map is to show which councilspublish Open Data about their public toilets. Toilet datafacilities.a public toilet. Visitors to an area, who do not have priorknowledge of public toilet locations, are unlikely to knowwhich council area they are in.Open Data is part of the government’s commitmentto greater transparency. It refers to data that can befreely used, re2used and redistributed by anyone. Thisallows the public to not only use the data, but to collate,combine and enhance it, and display the information inmaps and applications that are better2designed aroundthe needs of the user.THE AUSTRALIAN PUBLIC TOILET MAPThe Australian Government’s Department of Health &Ageing launched the National Public Toilet Map(www.toiletmap.gov.au) in 2001, as part of the NationalContinence Management Strategy. It now containsdetails of over 15,000 publicly accessible toilets withdata provided by over 1000 local councils and otherorganisations.The website currently attracts 100 000 visitors eachmonth and visits have grown by 700% since 2004.The up2to2date toilet map data is available as OpenData from www.data.gov.au, where it is being usedapplications.If a council does not publish Open Data about theirpublic toilets, users will be able to contact the councilto explain why this information would be useful, withthe help of a sample letter. The website will be live fromSeptember 2011, initially for the London area.OPEN DATAMany local authorities provide some information abouttheir public toilets on their council website. However this

PAGE 33USES FOR DATAThere are numerous ideas that could be developed if UKpublic toilet data existed.THE PUBLIC COULDto expect.THE COUNCILS COULDto provide maps about their own and adjacent areas.the value of the provision and warding off anti2socialbehaviour that takes place when public toiletsare underused.across the UK, then share best practice.FINALLY, COMMUNITIES, CAMPAIGNERS ANDRESEARCHERS COULDtoilet provision.population demographics, anti2social behaviour,or council expenditure.compare aspects of the provision such as accessibletoilets or night2time toilets.http://www.greatbritishpublictoiletmap.com/The Great BritishPublic Toilet MapMap About Contact us Show Councils Show ToiletsPlease enter place or postcodeLondonLondon Borough of CamdenThis council publishes data about33 toiletsShow toiletsThis data is published by thecouncil on their website under anopen license. You can downloadthe data from the council’s opendata page.Council dataThis data may not be perfect.If you think it should includecontact

PAGE 34Design IdeasAGE9FRIENDLY CUBICLESThe age2friendly cubicle would incorporate someelements from the ambulant cubicle. It would be slightlywider then most existing cubicles and it would includehandrails on either side of the toilet. The door locks arethe toilet paper dispenser can be accessed by someonearthritis to operate). Coat and bag hooks are essential,and, where space allows, shelves are recommended.Ideally the age2friendly cubicle would become thestandard toilet cubicle. This would allow growingnumbers of older people to access suitable toiletprovision and relieve pressure on the unisex accessible‘disabled’ toilet.DIRECTIONAL SIGNSinformation: direction, walking distance, pictograms of thefacilities, opening hours, stepped2access and payment.Providing the public with more information allows the userto decide whether the facility would suit their needs.ClearanceCirclediameter0=0500mm200mmmin=800mm

PAGE 35PUBLIC TRANSPORT INTEGRATIONPublic toilet information should be integrated into thetransport network. Maps, route diagrams and timetablescould include details about which stops have publictoilets within the station, or near to (and signposted from)the bus stop.COMMUNITY TOILET SCHEMESto the public. Councils list participants on their websitesand some provide paper maps. Whilst these may reachresidents, they are unlikely to help those visiting an areafor work or pleasure.This idea shows information provided via a high2qualitysticker applied to a lamppost or other existing streetfurniture. This would be a low cost, pedestrian2leveldesign solution to providing local and directionalinformation, that can be easily and cheaply replaced orupdated, should the participants or their details change.

PAGE 36Design IdeasTEXTING FEEDBACKWith budget cuts reducing the number of full2time toiletattendants, more use could be made of the public andtheir technology for reporting immediate problemsrelating to cleaning and maintenance.Many people of all ages have access to mobile phones.light feedback system implemented by the Mayor ofLondon, provides a simple, private and low2cost form ofcommunication for the public that could lead to a betterpublic toilet provision.

PAGE 37What Next?This Inclusive Design Guide has focused on the needto address design issues in publicly accessible toilets.This refers to all toilet facilities that are accessible tomembers of the public, operated by a range of providers(local authorities, transport operators and businesses).It has attempted to forge two distinct design approaches,that of Inclusive Design, with a focus on the needs ofolder people and people with disabilities through workingin partnership with these groups to provide equitableaccess for all, and Design Out Crime which aims to deteropportunities for criminal behaviour, but which,in many cases, and particularly in design solutionsrelating to publicly accessible toilets, also deters accessto legitimate users.In the last decade, the decline of public toilet provisionhas been surreptitiously linked with a wider decline incivilised society and general public good. It cannot bedenied that the Victorian and Edwardian era of publicsanitation mass construction echoed a wider trend ofphilanthropic urban design.What is missing is a sense of access to these facilities.The barriers to publicly accessible toilets of the 21stcentury are not merely physical but cultural. We have toask ourselves if we have a ‘right’ to access all ofthese toilets?Toilets for use by the public are costly to maintain, bothmore public facilities will add to this burden on resources.Tough environmental decisions are required to addressthe future of public toilet provision. We must ask 2 isthere a need for more toilets, or a need for more rights ofaccess to toilets, designed sustainably, and with all usersin mind?Jo9Anne Bichard and Gail Knight (2011)However, what is often forgotten in these reminiscencesis that there were very few toilets at home or in the publicspace. Unfortunately, this perspective has continuedinto our modern era. The arrival of the 2012 Olympicsin London is being compared with the Beijing Games inwhich the national and city governments went on a toilet2building spree. Whilst some new facilities were built in thecity centres, the majority of Beijing’s toilets were built inareas that had no domestic sanitation; these were toiletsfor the residents to use, as well as visitors.Today in the UK, whilst there has been a noticeabledecrease in provision operated by local authorities(the ‘public toilet’), there are toilets in most businessesthat offer some form of customer service (cafés,supermarkets, department stores, food outlets).

PAGE 38More InformationThe Accessible Toilet Resource (2007) Hanson, J,Bichard, J & Greed, C.This comprehensive guide was developed from a three2year research project that looked at the toileting needsof people with disabilities as well as carers and families.It focused on the problems of access in the unisexaccessible ‘disabled’ toilet cubicle.Available to download from http://eprints.ucl.ac.uk/4847/At Women’s Convenience: A Handbook on the Designof Women’s Public Toilets (1990) Women’s DesignService. A landmark publication that highlighted thedesign discrepancy within female public toilet provision.Nowhere to Go (2007) Help the AgedReport by Help the Aged that highlighted the impactof the lack of public toilet provision for older people.Incontinence and Older People: Is there a link tosocial isolation? (2007) Help the AgedReport by Help the Aged that explores the challengesolder people with continence face in managing thecondition.Inclusive Urban Design: Public Toilets(2003) C. Greed.Comprehensive book that examines the socio2culturalperspective to toilet provision as well as cubicle design,and wider planning strategies.Improving Public Access to Better Quality Toilets:A Strategic Guide (2008) Department of Communitiesand Local Government.Strategic guide for local authorities to review theimportance of public toilet provision.Improving Public Access to Toilets: Guidance onCommunity Toilet Schemes and SatLav (2008)Department of Communities and Local Government.Comprehensive guide for local authorities to help setup partnerships with businesses in community toiletschemes.British Standard BS 646594 (2010) Sanitaryinstallations. Code of practice for the provisionof public toilets.Guidance from the British Standards Institute onthe provision of public toilets including formulae forcalculating provision numbers for footfall, as well ascubicle design, layout and suitable gender parity.Public Toilets in London (2011) London AssemblyReport on London’s public toilets including details ofthe open data initiative to collect information aboutprovision.Publicly Available Toilets Problem Reduction Guide(2010) Hertfordshire Constabulary Crime PreventionDesign Service and the British Toilet AssociationDesign guide that focuses on possible design andmanagement solutions to problems of anti2socialbehaviour in publicly accessible toilets.Good Loo Design Guide (2004) Centre forAccessible EnvironmentsComprehensive design guidance that includes excellentillustrations of how people with disabilities navigate thespace of the toilet cubicle.

PAGE 39With thanks toGail Knight & Jo2Anne Bichard would like to thank:Dr Ian Farnden and the Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC) for their support of theRobust Accessible Toilets (RATs) project.The New Dynamics of Ageing programme and ourcolleagues on the Tackling Ageing Continencethrough Theory Tools and Technology (TACT3)collaborative research project, especially Eleanor VanDen Heuvel, Felicity Jowitt and Mary Caspillo2Brewer.Our colleagues at the Helen Hamlyn Centre forDesign and the Royal College of Art, especiallyProfessor Jeremy Myerson, Rama Gheerawo,Margaret Durkan and Kay Sandford.Gillian Kemp and Mike Bone of the British ToiletAssociation, The Women’s Design Service, ProfessorEmeritus Clara Greed, Professor Emeritus JulienneHanson, Michelle Barkley, Age UK and the Centre forAccessible Environments.And all of the members of the public, communities,local authorities and other professionals whoparticipated in the TACT3 and RATs research projects.

Publicly Accesible ToiletsAn Inclusive Design GuideGail Knight and Jo2Anne Bichard © 2011Royal College of ArtHelen Hamlyn Centre for DesignISBN 97821290734223924British Library Cataloguing2in2Publication Data:a catalogue record for this book is available from the BritishLibrary. This publication is licensed under a Creative CommonsBY2NC2ND Licence. Some Rights Reserved. This licence permitsthe copying, reuse and distribution of this material. You mustcredit the licensor, you can only use the work for non2commercialpurposes, and you may not create adaptations of the workwithout prior consent of the publishers.Published byHelen Hamlyn Centre for DesignRoyal College of ArtKensington GoreLondon SW7 2EUT +44 (0)20 7590 4242F +44 (0)20 7590 4244hhc@rca.ac.ukwww.hhc.rca.ac.ukDesign Jo Glover www.joglover.co.ukPrinting Redlin Printing Ltd, www.redlin.co.uk