SNP accused of sending services 'down the tubes' amid collapse in public toilets
The Scottish Liberal Democrats hit out at the SNP for ‘underfunding councils’
The SNP has been accused of sending community services “down the tubes” after it was revealed the number of public toilets in Scotland has collapsed since the party took power.
A freedom of information (FOI) request by the Scottish Liberal Democrats found there had been a 35 per cent decrease in the number of public toilets between 2007 and this year across the 18 councils who responded.
There are now no public toilets in Falkirk or South Lanarkshire, the party said, while East Dunbartonshire has no council-operated or managed public toilets.
Clackmannanshire and Midlothian have no standalone public toilets. They have toilets available in council buildings which are only available during the opening hours of those properties.
Since 2007, when the SNP came to power, the number of public toilets has fallen by 52 per cent in South Ayrshire, 42 per cent in Aberdeen, 40 per cent in East Renfrewshire, 39 per cent in Highland and 33 per cent in Edinburgh.
Scottish Lib Dem MP Susan Murray said: “After almost two decades of underfunding councils, the SNP are sending important community services down the tubes. Their failure to properly support local authorities is hitting public toilets all across the country.
“For some, the lack of accessible toilets can prevent them from enjoying public spaces, while in other areas it has become an invitation for public urination. For people living with a stoma, access to public toilets is essential to their quality of life.
“To deliver change with fairness at its heart, Scottish Liberal Democrats will give local authorities a fair deal so that they can, in turn, invest in the things that matter to their communities.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the importance of having accessible, public toilets in communities, especially with high footfall and tourism.
“The responsibility for public toilets sits with the owner of the land - which could be local authorities, community organisations, tourist boards or others.
“The Scottish Government has provided councils with a record £15.1 billion this year, a real terms increase of 5.5 per cent. Despite a decade of austerity, the total local government finance settlement increased by almost 50 per cent between 2013-14 and 2025-26.”
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