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Accessible Toilets. What's your experience?

Alex_Alumni

Recently on a trip to Wimbledon I had a pretty poor experience with their accessible toilets, they were either being cleaned, dirty, lacking toilet roll, or the door wouldn't lock!

Whether it's at a big event or in your local town or a shop, what is your experience of accessible toilets generally like?

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Comments

Siwheels73

Hi @Alex_Scope. The trouble with your poll is that I have come across most, if not all of these options, and a few more to boot! The most frustrating is when you wait ages and a mother or father comes out with a small son or daughter because they couldn't (be bothered to) wait!

Alex_Alumni

That's a fair point @Siwheels73 I should have added a "All of the above" option!

It is frustrating when accessible toilets are sometimes misused, but perhaps it also says something about public toilets as spaces which aren't as functional or as safe as we would like them to be.

If you could change one thing about accessible toilets, or the attitudes around them, what would it be?

Dionne_2022

I have experienced most of these problems with disabled toilets some have been dirty, some have been broken and others have been used as a store cupboard. All public toilets seem to have similar issues. With a lot of places it’s pot luck. Public toilets need to be a higher priority for many venues and a much higher standard

Dionne_2022

Yes, I just got a Radar key and that’s Ben my limited experience so far 😊

Binbag

My daughter got married last week. The disabled toilet was locked, they said it was their policy, although this wasn't explained before the wedding. In the middle of the reception my dad wanted to use the toilet and found it was locked. A relative went to get the key or complain and it took 15 minutes and two requests before someone came with the key. I've since learnt that keeping disabled toilets locked is quite common, but this was a wedding venue and in the evening.

Alex_Alumni

I'm sorry to hear about your experience @Binbag it's such a shame that something so vital often gets treated as an afterthought. I am glad they eventually found the key, but your dad should not have needed to wait for that long.

Incidentally, all the accessible toilets at Wimbledon require a Radar key (which you are offered on entry if you don't have your own), but we found that some doors were not being shut and locked properly after use, meaning anyone could wander in to skip the queues!

Binbag

Thank you Alex. My dad wet himself as a result and needed changing, and whilst the venue say they are sad they are not going to change their policy!

Alex_Alumni

That's terrible @Binbag, I'm so sorry to hear! Have you spoken about it in a review of the venue? If you wanted to pursue a further complaint, I would look into getting in touch with your local citizens advice.

Under the Equality Act 2010, all organisations have a duty to provide accessible goods and services. The provision of accessible toilet facilities is a fundamental and crucial part of inclusive service delivery and their design and management warrant careful attention.

I would say in this case the venue failed in that duty. This document from the Centre For Accessible Environments, called 'Managing Accessible Toilets' might be a good thing to send their way too

BIT2FAST4U

Radar key disabled toilets tend to be okay. Although a lot of public toilets have been closed as cost cutting exercises by local councils. My biggest complaint is the minimum standard specifications for the size of a disabled toilet are too small. It is based around a standard manual wheelchair and does not allow for waste bins. I use an outdoor powered wheelchair, which is longer than a manual one. The number of times I struggle because by the time I get into the disabled toilet there is no space to move from the wheelchair to the toilet. And I have to reverse into the disabled toilet because turning around in there is not possible. It is so frustrating that the standard specifications are so minimal.

Wibbles

I recently went to West Bay near Bridport and found that, whilst the "normal persons" toilets were open as normal - the disabled toilets were closed due to building work going on nearby - there was a tape across the pavement - which I ignored and tried the door with my radar key and found it locked

I complained to the council who responded fast - telling me that they had no idea but would ensue that it didnt happen again - I havent been back !

Alex_Alumni

That's rather frustrating to hear @Wibbles I suppose you could chase up to find out, but it shouldn't be down to you at the end of the day.

Well done for complaining, hopefully it prompted them into action, whether they knew or not!

Wibbles

On another matter - I was forced to take medical retirement from my last job - because they refused to upgrade their toilets to disabled state and my wheelchair would not fit in to a standard undersize cubicle

This was a school !

L_Volunteer

That's really frustrating and upsetting @Wibbles. Sorry to hear you had such a negative experience, especially being in a school

mollymandy97

The one with ryder key tend to be better. But notice they often be dirty and lack space no shelves lay out change stuff which when trying empty a catheter is not ideal or tidy yourself after Accident. Or just locked no access to pull cord or open everyone normally so when main upstairs often get albe bodied people nipping in. Worst one when they also the baby change area. In past I've had toilet paper on the floor small of wee and poo stained Remove toilet seat

BrianMcFaddenfan07

I went my local shopping centre about 2 or 3 weeks ago with my mum as we were meeting up with my brother, brother-in-law and auntie (my mum's twin sister). Whilst we were walking towards a music shop that my mum wanted to look in, me n my auntie went to the toilets S we both needed the toilet. We both used two disabled toilets that were next to each other that were outside of the main toilets (there's either 2 or 3 disabled toilets and a family room which has a toilet and a changing area for a baby or toddler. My middle niece is disabled, but because she's quite tall, we have to lie her on a blacket with a changing mat under her to change her nappy. She's only recently started to learn how to use her commode as she copied her lil sister). I didn't know until I'd come to unlock the door that the lock was broken as the door was open as all u have to do is press a button outside the toilet to open the door, but when I tried to unlock the door, it wouldn't budge and I started panicking. I was panicking that much I ended up crying for my mum.
I had the same experience when I was in primary school (I was in the juniors) and I'd gone to the toilet with my middle sister and when I went to unlock the door, it wouldn't budge, so my middle sister helped me to unlock the door. Once I'd opened the door, middle sister gave me a hug and helped me to calm down before we went back outside to the playground.

Alex_Alumni

Thanks for sharing your experiences @mollymandy97, dirty toilets certainly seem to be more common than they should be!

And @BrianMcFaddenfan07 not being able to unlock the door is definitely a scary experience as well, was everything okay at the shopping centre in the end?

emberkid

I wish regular bathroom stalls had basic amenities similar to disabled stalls, like small trash cans and fold-out surfaces to put things on.

I am ambulatory and don't need the extra space of a disabled stall, but I have chronic bowel issues and wear nappies/diapers as a result. I can change them standing up in a regular stall, but often have trouble finding anywhere to put my supplies down, and it's embarrassing having to carry my used supplies through the rest of the bathroom to the trash can where everyone can see.

Sometimes I can put them in the small disposal bin for menstrual pads, but it's a tight fit, and then prevents anyone else from using it for their pads.

Tori_Scope

My understanding is that you could still use the accessible toilet @emberkid, if that'd make it easier for you?

mindful82

Alex_Scope said:

Recently on a trip to Wimbledon I had a pretty poor experience with their accessible toilets, they were either being cleaned, dirty, lacking toilet roll, or the door wouldn't lock!

Whether it's at a big event or in your local town or a shop, what is your experience of accessible toilets generally like?

A sliding door easier to open and close safer too opening a door whilst in my chair entering the space turning around to close the door anyone could just push my chair further in and close the door then I am stuck in a disabled toilet with a stranger no it hasn't happened yet although I see things that most do not being so mindful yes no paper or wet floors which makes it impossible to move my wheels of my chair just spinning on the spot accessible toilets could do with being safer unless we're in a wheelchair most do not realise what's its really like for us are these accessible toilets designed by a wheelchair user ?? Mindful82 I've not been well enough to join in now I could do with distraction from the compression to my spinal cord

Alex_Alumni

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us all @mindful82, I certainly think we'd see a difference if these toilets were designed by a wheelchair user

You're welcome to use the community as a distraction of course, and please let us know if there's anything we can do to support you, compression to your spinal cord sounds very painful indeed!