Well done, the Greens. If credit is due anywhere for the inclusion of £3 million in the Mayor’s budget for public lavatories at Tube stations, it should go to Caroline Russell. She’s the leader of the Greens in the London Assembly, and she’s been banging on about this for years. In fact she was hoping for £20 million, but you have to start somewhere. Mind you, I could have done without the lavatory humour in the press release... “a huge relief for Londoners”. Yes, yes, very funny.
Before you even say it, let’s make the point at the outset that quite a sizeable chunk of that budget should be allocated for maintenance. Lavatories are only as good as their cleanliness; I’d pay cleaners a premium for keeping them clean, and for mopping up regularly. In fact, I’d really like those at the big interchanges manned by actual people. And I’d like one for each sex please. No offence, but sharing loos with men in public places would be too beastly.
