A BOLTON MP has warned that the town's economy could be hit following the closure of public toilets on Bridge Street.

David Young, MP for Bolton South East, said that a lack of facilities would dissuade people from visiting Bolton and shopping in its otherwise impressive town centre.

As revealed in the BEN earlier this week, Bolton Council has closed the toilets to save £58,000 as part of £1.3m worth of budget cuts. Mr Young said: "I have continually pressed Bolton Council over this matter. Why is it that so many toilets in Bolton are being closed? The same problems don't apply in adjoining towns.

"I have travelled up and down the country and only Bolton has this problem.

"It is a question of public health as much as anything else. Elderly people who take water tablets require access to public toilets which should be readily available and clearly signposted."

Mr Young suggested that people who find the closure inconvenient could use the toilets in the Town Hall building as an alternative. An estimated £100,000 would have been needed to repair the toilets.

But Mr Young claimed the amount could have been reduced had Bolton Council maintained them instead of letting the repair bill mount up over the years.

Mr Young said he experienced national tourism issues during a stint on an employment select committee.

He continued: "Bolton has set out its shopping area for tourists but is failing to provide basic facilities for them. "One thing that is sure to end tourism is to say that toilets are not available.

"There are things going on in the town throughout the year to attract tourists, particularly so in the summer."

Mr Young added that proper facilities were needed for disabled people and wheelchair users in particular.

And he promised to write to Bolton Council to ask councillors to look at the problem again. He said: "Frankly, I think Bolton Council is dodging its responsibility by saying that people should use toilets in shops.

"Businesses are not there to provide public convenience facilities for the town."

Mr Young explained that the attraction of "an excellent town centre" was lost without clean toilets staffed by attendants.

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