MPs Mobilise to save Loos

12.39.19pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 19th Jul 2004

With the growing movement to restore the public conveniences on the Twickenham riverside, led by Trevor Baylis and other Twickenham residents, MP Vincent Cable has joined 35 other MPs in a nationwide campaign to stop the closure of WCs by councils. Across Britain, 18% of public loos have been closed since 2001 and of those that remain only 65% are accessible to disabled people and only 21% have baby changing facilities.

Vincent Cable joined local protestors in a public meeting last Wednesday to support a campaign to bring back the Riverside loos into public use. Several disabled residents came to the meeting to express their personal worries over lack of access to toilet facilities in the town.

Vincent Cable said: "what is happening is that because toilets are not a statutory responsibility of local councils, some of them are finding that closing them is an easy option. It makes a nonsense, however, for the council to talk about 'civic pride' while it takes action which will lead to a decline in public hygiene".

"Residents in both Teddington and Twickenham have expressed serious concern over the closures".

"But there is a national issue: the government will have to set minimum statutory standards or councils across the country will behave irresponsibly, as ours has done".