Policy Making as Organised Irresponsibility: the case of public conveniences

Edwards, Julia

doi:10.1332/030557398782213647

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…Surveys by the Association of Town Centre Managers have demonstrated 'the business case', showing that that better public toilet provision increases local business, shopping turnover, and tourist numbers. 49 Better, cleaner toilet provision would also undoubtedly reduce the amount of money spent by the National Health Service (NHS) on urological and incontinence services 50 and, arguably, contri-bute to the reduction in the transmission of a wide range of viruses, germs and diseases, which, if left unchecked, might claim many more lives.…”

Section: Mandatory Legislationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the public toilet: pathogen transmitter or health facilitator?

Greed

2006

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology

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This paper discusses the role of public toilets, as transmitters of disease, but also of their importance in contributing to the health and well-being of society. Research has shown that public toilets are vital components in creating sustainable, accessible, inclusive cities. But there is no mandatory legislation requiring local authorities to provide them. Over 40% have been closed in the UK in the last 10 years. The promotion of the 24 hour city, characterized by a male youth drinking culture, along with toilet closure, has resulted in increased street urination, creating the conditions for the spread of previously-eradicated, water borne diseases in city streets. Less visible, but as virulent, has been the effect of toilet closure for women. Women, in response to lack of toilet provision, are likely to ‘hold on’ resulting in urine (and pathogen) retention, and bladder distension increasing the propensity for continence problems. The elderly and people with disabilities may simply not go out for fear of there being no toilet when they need one. Those toilets that are available may be unusable. Lack of regulation or compulsory standards result in poor toilet design, inadequate maintenance and management, and unhygienic conditions, resulting in the spread of MRSA and other drug-resistant diseases. Recommendations are summarized for the provision of a spatial hierarchy of toilet provision that would both meet user needs and reduce the chances of the public toilets acting as epicentres of germ transmission. Unless compulsory legislation, increased funding, and improved management, maintenance and cleaning regimes are instigated, public toilet provision will continue to be a source of disease.

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Section: Mandatory Legislationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of the public toilet: pathogen transmitter or health facilitator?

Greed

2006

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology

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“…Girl-children not only share with boys the problems of lack of places to play, but also encounter exclusion from play areas by older boy-children (Adams & Ingham 1998). A lack of public toilet provision particularly affects elderly women's mobility within the city of man (Muro 1995;Penner 1996;Edwards 1998;Greed 2003a). In contrast men have a wider choice of places in which to relieve themselves, and arguably greater cultural entitlement to do so (Lees 2004, p. 98).…”

Section: Race Gender and Urban Regeneration -mentioning

confidence: 99%

Making the Divided City Whole: Mainstreaming Gender Into Planning in the United Kingdom

Greed¹

2006

Tijd voor Econ & Soc Geog

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Women have long identified the problems that they encounter in seeking to combine their home and work roles, in cities divided by traditional land-use zoning. This paper draws on work for the British Royal Town Planning Institute on mainstreaming gender considerations into spatial planning, including the creation of a 'Toolkit' to do so, along with research on accessible city centres. City-wide transport policies are examined, along with race equality and local accessibility issues. It is argued that promoting mixed land-uses, higher densities, and less car use, can be as problematic for women as old fashioned zoning. This is because policy-makers still hold a divided world view, in which women's needs are secondary to public realm considerations. It is concluded that gender considerations must overarch and crosscut all spatial policy-making, however above reproach, in order to create a unified city that meets the needs of everyone. Copyright (c) 2006 by the Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG.

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“…Many would argue that payment at source through the rates and taxation, rather than at point of delivery at the toilet door, is more equitable (in the same way one does not pay to walk on the pavement or sit on a park seat). 27 There would, however, need to be adequate finance for the increased levels of toilet provision brought about by the proposed legislative changes. At local authority level, funding would need to be protected and ring-fenced specifically for toilet provision.…”

Section: Financementioning

confidence: 99%

Public toilets: the need for compulsory provision

Greed¹

2004

Municipal Engineer

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Policy Making as Organised Irresponsibility: the case of public conveniences

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

The role of the public toilet: pathogen transmitter or health facilitator?

The role of the public toilet: pathogen transmitter or health facilitator?

Making the Divided City Whole: Mainstreaming Gender Into Planning in the United Kingdom

Public toilets: the need for compulsory provision

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