Public toilet numbers collapse after 16 years of SNP underfunding

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:  

• Across the councils which provided the data for both 2007 and 2023, there has been a 21% decrease in the number of public toilets.  
• South Lanarkshire has no public toilets at all, while East Dunbartonshire and Clackmannanshire have 6 and 18 toilets, respectively, situated within council properties but no standalone public toilets.
• Since 2007, Falkirk’s numbers have dropped by 94% from 17 public toilets to 1, while East Renfrewshire’s have dropped by 60%, South Ayrshire’s by 48%, East Renfrewshire by 40%, Edinburgh by 37%, Stirling by 32% and Perth & Kinross by 27%.  

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.”