THE closure of public toilets during the coronavirus lockdown has caused a great inconvenience to some – especially when it comes to rural areas.
Now, a researcher at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has created a map identifying the number of public toilets across the country.
Mike Spencer, a data scientist at SRUC, compiled the map using the geographic information system QGIS with open data from OpenStreetMap and Ordnance Survey.
The map, published on zenodo.org, shows the greatest density of public toilets is in Edinburgh, followed by Glasgow.
But it identifies that there are fewer public toilets made available in rural areas, raising questions about the provision of access to sanitation.
It is also an issue that could cause potential conflict between visitors and local residents if there are no services available.
Spencer said: “Access to toilets is important for individual health and wellbeing and sanitation is recognised by the United Nations as a human right. Understanding toilet locations is a step towards estimating adequate provision of sanitation – and if there are enough public toilets both for the resident population and visitors. Closing public toilets impacts local areas because visitors will still relieve themselves even if they cannot access facilities.”
With restrictions on toilet access still in place due to Covid-19, Spencer recommends looking at Mountaineering Scotland’s guide on going to the toilet in the outdoors before “answering a call of nature”.
There is also information available in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here