LESS than a quarter of Ceredigion’s public toilets are accessible to people with disabilities, according to new research.

Data shows that the county has a total of 49 public toilets, with 40 not being classed as accessible should someone with a disability need to use them, which equates to 18 per cent.

The data was compiled from The Great British Public Toilet Map by QS Supplies.

The research found that across the UK, there has been a 19 per cent decrease in public toilets funded by the local authorities over the last six years.

This has been hampered by the closures of establishments such as pubs, cafes and restaurants during and following the covid-19 pandemic.

A survey by Euan’s Guide stated that 78 per cent of people with disabilities said they avoided going somewhere that didn’t have an accessible toilet, with the same percentage saying they had come across an accessible toilet that they were unable to enter.

QS Supplies stated that in the 1960s, turnstiles on public bathrooms were banned due to the restriction on accessibility, but that this has since been overturned to allow for paid entry into the toilets.

Local authorities are not legally required to provide public toilets and a large number across the UK have been closed to assist with cutting costs.