TRADERS in Newport say they will start a petition urging the city council to reopen public toilets, which were closed earlier this month as part of budget cuts.

Sue Williams, 55, who runs Elbow Rooms hair salon in the city centre, says she has up to five shoppers a day, and more at weekends, asking to use her toilet since the Austin Friars toilets were closed on April 1.

She says customers and shoppers are not happy about the closure and have complained people are instead urinating in the underground car park of the nearby Chartist Tower.

She said: “It is absolutely disgusting.

“The council want to attract people to the city centre but when they do come they haven't got anywhere to go to the toilet.”

Kelvin Reddicliffe, 55, who works at Timpsons Ltd shoe repair and key cutters, said since the underground toilets were shut, he has seen parents allowing their young children to urinate in the doorways of derelict shops.

He said: “It’s just not on. It’s not just parents with young children who need the toilets, what about elderly generation who may have bladder problems, they need these toilets.”

A spokeswoman for the council said the decision to close the toilets was taken as part of the budget setting process because they are only accessible by steep steps and are therefore unsuitable for some disabled and elderly people.

She said alternative facilities were in the bus station, which have male, female, disabled and baby changing facilities open from 8am until 6pm daily and Sundays from 8am to 4pm.