… The Great British Public Toilet Map, v.1

We made a first version of The Great British Public Toilet Map.

Click on the map to go to the website.

It’s not really a toilet map.

It will be, when there’s more data (initially for London – this link tells you why). At the moment, it’s more a way of seeing the data that’s available, and asking for more.

Idea #8: Map your Community Toilet Scheme

Cut Out and Keep! © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA

So you’ve decided to close your public toilets (approximate saving £18000).

Boo!

But it’s OK because along with the public library, you’ve found 2 pubs and a café who don’t mind the general public using their loos instead, in exchange for hard cash (approximate expense 3 x £600 =  £1800).

What’s not to love?

One problem is communication. Everyone who’s visited the town knows that the big ugly block in the main square is the public toilet, not least from the smell.

How will they know that they can use these businesses instead? And where they are?

As mentioned in Idea#7: What Community Toilet Scheme? there are 3 solutions: signs, maps and open data (the open data is so that others can make their own maps).

Idea#7 looked at signs.

Idea #8 looks at maps.

It’s a bit… flawed.

Idea #7: What Community Toilet Scheme?

Another day, and another council announces it might close some public toilets and pay businesses to let the public use theirs instead (Tendring Council, in case you’re keeping score).

Not necessarily a bad thing. 10 public toilets can become 100 community toilets for the same price. But whilst public toilets are visible in the street, recognisable, and permanent; community toilets are hidden within businesses, not well understood by the public, and the participants frequently change.

So how do you communicate a Community Toilet Scheme?

There’s the slightly inadequate sticker in the window, which you have to know to look for and which some shops are reluctant to display.

Other than that you’ve got three options: Signposts – today’s topic, Maps – tomorrow’s topic, maybe…, and Apps – see ‘Open Data’ – a whole other topic! *dramatic sigh*

Idea #6: The Great British Public Toilet Map

***The GREAT BRITISH PUBLIC TOILET MAP is now a real website at http://greatbritishpublictoiletmap.rca.ac.uk***

Not a real website. Yet. (UPDATE Sept 2011: Now a real website! at http://greatbritishpublictoiletmap.rca.ac.uk)

This idea is one of the main outcomes of our Out of Order research project (part of the New Dynamics of Ageing project, TACT3) into improving public toilets for older people.

Where are the toilets?Public toilet provision is incredibly fragmented down to approximately 326 district or borough councils. A complete dataset requires the participation of all of these local authorities in a subject that is often overlooked but which is basic to society; so basic that many open data websites have suggestions for toilet-finder apps, without knowing that there’s no national data. These apps (and other maps) would be useful to everyone, but for many people with specific medical conditions this information is essential to their quality of life.

Currently, the only reliable way to find public toilet information is to visit each council website, which is only practical for residents, much less so for visitors, and without a smartphone this information isn’t available at the time you’d want it most – when out and about.

The Website

The Great British Public Toilet Map gives a national focus to a local problem. The site is based around a map-search. When the public search for a location they’ll receive one of two responses – either information on the nearby toilets if the council provides open toilet data, or a page suggesting how they can contact their local council to request that they participate in the project by releasing open data. A sample letter would be provided explaining the issues.

The idea behind the map is that it shows a useful tangible output to the mysterious world of data. Essentially the site is a campaign tool to enable individuals to engage with their local councils on public toilets.

Idea #5: Bus Timetables

I just did this for a presentation and figured I may as well put it on the blog. I’d half abandoned the ‘simple ideas’ aspect of this blog before I really began (I like to think that I’ve been working instead on much bigger fish) but I’ll try and add things that I do draw up as I go along.

After all, there really isn’t a ground-breaking idea that will solve all the problems of public toilets, but rather a lot of little improvements (that amount to little more than common sense!)

What are we looking at? The little public toilet symbols show which stops have public toilets (totally made up, by the way).

I spent yesterday at an Incontinence Conference, as you do, attended by many people from the Brunel Older Peoples’ Reference Group. They were quite frustrated by the lack of public toilet provision at transport hubs, in particular bus stations.

“Us older people, we travel by bus! We’ve got our bus pass but there’s no where to go to the toilet when we get there!”

(I paraphrase, but that was the gist.)

Would it be worth having information on bus timetables and bus stops that shows which stops are served by a public toilet?

Of course this assumes that there are some!

And as bus routes cross several local authorities, some data wouldn’t hurt either.

Idea #4: The Asymmetric Cubicle

Here’s an idea that’s so obvious I think ‘idea’ might be stretching it.

The cubicle on the left is ‘normal’. The cubicle on the right has the toilet off-centre, positioned between the wall and sanitary bin.

I’ve never understood why the ladies’ toilets aren’t like this.

The best case result is a sanitary bin on one side, resulting in disgruntled women having to brush up against it. (The worst case is when it doesn’t even fit in the gap, so it’s behind the door and you can’t get in, McDonalds Clapham Junction, hmm?)

Now there’s always going to be a sanitary bin in every ladies cubicle, so why not design with that in mind?

Sometimes people have – these are the toilets where it’s built into the wall, creating far more space in the cubicle and a toilet utopia. Others may have the foresight to source the bins before building the walls or partitions to make sure they fit.

But even if they do fit, wouldn’t it still be better to reposition the toilet so that it’s central within the space that’s left?

(Incidentally this rule can be applied to huge toilet roll holders too)

Or am I missing something here?

Vote below! And don’t even think about voting no without telling me why in the comments!

Idea #3: Rate this Toilet

A panel on the wall in the toilet facility so that those visiting could rate the facility in situ.

This information could feed back into a web-based toilet search engine.

It could also be used for rapid response by the toilet provider, spotting any downward trends in customer satisfaction.

Would this work?

Is the implementation to complex?

Are smartphone applications ‘enough’?

A low-tech solution could work as well – pressing a physical button to rate the system with a mechanical counting system.

Or do you think any rating system is too susceptible to manipulation – would mischievous people input fake results? Would toilet providers manipulate the system? Would cleaners fear that it would reflect back on them?

Vote now! (and more importantly, feel free to leave your comments explaining your decision!)

Idea #2: Unisex Toilets

Could unisex toilets be the way forward?

The plan above shows accessible toilets, child toilets and a range of male & female loos.  Some of these could be unisex, others could be reserved for women only or men only. (It also shows a sink in the middle and hand driers to the right. I think the spiky things are plants :) )

The main distinctions are the unisex hand-washing area and the lack of urinals.

The inspiration for this design is the problems that men and women have when caring for people of the opposite sex. This refers to all types of care, including mums and dads looking after their children.  At what age do you start letting them go into the loos alone?

Public toilets are often called ‘The last gendered space’.  Do we need this division of the sexes on top of the privacy of the cubicle?

Are there other advantages to sharing facilities, or would you feel more uncomfortable knowing that someone of the opposite sex was there too?

Would you miss single sex facilities?

Could it work in some cases, but not in others?

Tell me what you think via the comments box at the end, and vote for this idea below!

Idea #1: Fingerposts

This idea for improved pedestrian signs doesn’t just show which direction the toilets are in.

They tell the person which facilities are provided, how far they are and how accessible they are.

Would this be useful to you?

Should this information be included on existing signs?

or is it too much detail, unnecessary confusion and expense?

Please vote as to whether I should keep working on it, and leave any thoughts (comments, criticisms, ideas, Anything!) in the comments below. They’re vital to developing better loos for all!