Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today revealed the collapse in the number of public toilets since the SNP came to power, with at least one local authority having no toilet facilities at all and others having no standalone toilets.
In response to a freedom of information request from Scottish Liberal Democrats, 18 councils were able to provide details of the number of public toilets in both 2007 and 2023.
Analysis of this data reveals that:
Mr Rennie said:
“After more than a decade and a half of SNP underfunding, communities across Scotland are taking the hit.
“Toilets are not just about public convenience. For some, the lack of accessible bathrooms can prevent them enjoying public spaces, while in other areas it has become an invitation for public urination. For people living with a stoma, access to public toilets is absolutely essential to their quality of life. This sad state of affairs is the inevitable consequence of reckless decisions by successive SNP governments.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see a substantial programme of capital works to provide more public toilets alongside better car parking, electric charging points and waste disposal points.
“The Scottish Government must stop expecting local authorities to live off the scraps of the budget and hope for the best. They must finally deliver a fair deal for councils so that they, in turn, can invest in their communities.”