THE SOUTH East has been ranked as the region with the second shortest distance between public toilets.
It comes as part of a survey by Showers to You which shows how far people have to go between public loos, and the likelihood of getting caught short while out and about.
The figures are the result of analysis of data from ToiletMap, which logs the location of facilities.
While Scotland saw the highest travel time between public toilets, followed by Northern Island, the South East placed second lowest, just behind London.
Reading’s facilities were an average of a three-minute drive away from each other, with the furthest drive time between any two being just over 16 minutes.
Those travelling by foot had an average walk time of just over half an hour between any two, with an average distance of around 2.6km.
Martin Smith, founder of Showers To You, said: “The lack of easily available public toilets can severely limit people’s ability to stay active, travel, or socialise—particularly affecting the elderly, disabled individuals, and women, who are more prone to bladder issues.
“It’s estimated that 9 out of 10 people with bowel conditions plan their journeys around toilet availability.
“This issue is far more than convenience; it’s about preserving health, dignity, and independence.
“When facilities aren’t available, people may deliberately avoid drinking fluids, which can lead to chronic dehydration, urinary tract infections, constipation, and exacerbated symptoms for those with conditions like IBS or Crohn’s disease.
“With 60% of public toilets in the UK having closed over the past 15 years due to funding cuts, this is a public health issue that needs greater attention.”
More information about ShowersToYou is available via: showerstoyou.co.uk
