Call to unlock the loos at Chorley bus station

Steve Holgate said that the facilities were a “basic public service” that should be provided for people using the borough’s busy interchange.

The pandemic forced the closure of the toilets at all four of the bus stations operated by Lancashire County Council, but so far, they are back in operation at only two of them – in Preston and Accrington.

Passenger numbers have increased in recent months after initially dropping off when Covid-19 first struck.

The authority says it is in the process of putting safety arrangements in place to enable the loos to be unlocked in Chorley and also Nelson, where they remain out of action.

However, Cllr Holgate, who sits on both Chorley Council and Lancashire County Council, says that people are being unnecessarily inconvenienced by the closure of the conveniences.

“All the other public toilets in Chorley have reopened and have done so safely – including those belonging to small businesses like shops and cafes.

“So how come a massive organisation like the county council can’t manage it? It seems like a lack of inclination to me.

“There may be bigger challenges to deal with at the moment, but it’s an important service and it’s not being provided as it should be,” he said.

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council was unable to confirm a date when travellers could expect see the toilets reopened.

However, he added: “We are currently working to put in place attendants to manage access to toilets at our bus stations, to ensure that people using them can do so safely while social distancing and managing reduced capacity.

“The toilets at Preston Bus Station and Accrington Bus Station are now open, and we are working to arrange attendants, provide suitable washing facilities and increase frequency of cleaning, with the aim of reopening the toilets at all the bus stations and interchanges we manage as soon as we can.”