03/02/2026
Please, we need your thoughts on this 😊
🚻 DO WE NEED PUBLIC TOILETS AT THE NEW TRANSPORT HUB SITE, NEWTON STEWART?
Finlay Carson MSP For Galloway And West Dumfries brought this to my attention when he was approached by constituents and he and I are keen to explore more.
My thoughts are, regardless of what stage the project is currently at, yes we do but I want to hear from the community.
In principle, a transport hub idea is proactive in my opinion. If it functions how it is intended.
I am slightly skeptical of the location, I worry about congestion and how safe it is going to be for pedestrians; but I have to put my faith in the expert designers.
🚾 My main question at this stage is why are there no public toilets included in the design? If Dumfries and Galloway Council is providing a busy transport link spot, surely the public deserve access to the very basic of amenities along side this facility? Even a portaloo in keeping with the design.
I have spoken to members of the public, a few surrounding businesses and homeowners and the community council and it would seem that bus riders often already seek a public toilet before their next bus arrives, or they relieve themselves around the corner!
I have put this to council officers who tell me public toilets were considered at the beginning of this project but given the fact the Riverside public toilets already exist and lack of funding, the idea was thrown out almost immediately.
I have several concerns with that response:
1️⃣ The Riverside Public Toilets are a good walk from Dashwood Square, it would possibly take approx 15 mins, at least, to get there, use the facilities and back again.
2️⃣ What about our less able members of public? How do they manage?
3️⃣ Yes, budget constraints are always a barrier, however as far as I’m aware, Elected Members have not had sight of the costings involved in adding Public Toilets. Certainly not when I’ve asked for them anyway.
🟢 I do appreciate however that it would mean extra staff to clean them. But that is not a reason I have been given not to go ahead with the idea. Community volunteer cleaning is also an idea.
🟢 I am meeting with the Director of Economy and Infrastructure to get further insight to decision making methods on this project and will post any significant detail from that meeting on here.
👥 I would very much appreciate the community’s thoughts on this, purely on the public toilets suggestion.
💻 If you have a detailed response, please email me it for serious consideration, I cannot manage my workload via Facebook.
Appreciate your help on this.
Many thanks,
Jackie 🙂
[email protected]
