Five toilet jars were on Friday afternoon in protest on Pieter Vreedeplein in Tilburg. It is an urgent request for more public toilets. It turns out to be high need: the petition has been signed more than a thousand times. “We are over the piss,” says co-initiator Erik Schapendonk of the SP in Tilburg. The alderman had to account for him on a golden toilet bowl.
It is poop and plashumor with a serious message. In the most recent ranking of toilet -friendly municipalities, Tilburg has descended from place 83 to 100. That shows from research of the toilet alliance.
Fear
Everyone suffers from the limited range of public toilets in Tilburg, according to the initiators. “A large group of people need a toilet within five minutes. Many people don’t dare to go to the center or a nature reserve because they can’t go to the toilet quickly,” says Erik. He mentions people with bladder and digestive problems or people with a physical disability.
Pieter Vreedeplein was not just chosen as a protest spot. According to the organizers, there should also be public toilets there.
“You are refused to go to the toilet.”
People also find on Friday that the number of small rooms should be larger. “The shortage is very big. Nice that there is action. Men can pee everywhere, that is very unfair,” says Jolie. According to her, going to a restaurant or café is not a good option. “You are also often refused to go to the toilet.”
‘Stop is unhealthy’
Jade happened to walk past the promotion. “It is always difficult for women,” she says. “It is also very annoying if you have to pay money when you have to go to the toilet.” Hermes: “The street will stink less to urine with more toilets. Moreover, it is very unhealthy to stop.” He criticizes the sentence: ‘First a consumption’ first in the hospitality industry. “You are already full of liquid, beer there? Didn’t think so.”
The Tilburg petition has three goals. More public toilets in parks, on squares, in the city center and in shopping centers. Bringing WCs as standard with new projects. And better findability of the current public toilets.
Alderman Rik Grashoff has toilets in his portfolio. He received the petition. He didn’t have to come on the mat with the activists, but on the golden jar. And he found that no problem. “There are many more public toilets than it seems. The findability really needs to be better and there must also be new toilets. They also have to open longer,” he said. “We really have to go a step.”
