Street urination 'due to lack of public toilets'

A lack of public toilets is one of the reasons people are urinating and defecating in York's streets, a report has found.

Almost 4,200 reports of street urination were recorded in 2023-2024 and City of York Council is set to review plans to introduce £100 fines.

A report to the executive committee, which will meet on 22 April, said the penalty was a more reasonable, proportionate and cost-effective way of punishing offenders than lengthy and expensive court proceedings.

Almost half of the people asked about urinating in the street blamed a lack of public toilets, it noted.

However, it added the provision of public toilets was an ongoing challenge.

"It is expensive and anti-social behaviour creates further difficulties in upholding cleansing and maintenance standards," the report said.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, York's Business Improvement District received 4,194 requests to clean up urine and 2,058 related to human biohazard fluid, such as vomit, in the 12 months to March.

There were 280 requests to clean up faeces, including from dogs, from the start of 2024 to November.

During a council consultation, 162 out of 346 people blamed the issue on a lack of public toilets and 83% of 1,026 respondents backed the £100 fines.

One respondent said: "Urination and defecation in the streets is disgusting.

"But it happens mainly in the city centre where the lack of public toilets at certain times of the day lead to people taking desperate measures."

The authority has recently spent £65,000 on upgrading public toilets in Silver Street in the city centre and Front Street in Acomb.

A further £254,000 had been made available to provide toilet, changing and shower spaces for the severely disabled.

The report added: "Councillor Jenny Kent, the council's executive member for environment and climate emergency, is clear that access to clean toilets is an essential hallmark of public health, and the number, location and management of toilets is therefore currently under review."

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