Portable loo relief for drinkers

Men are encouraged to use the urinals in Wrexham

Four portable toilets are opened in Wrexham to stop men urinating in the street as part of a wider clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

For the past year, men caught urinating by police have been told to mop up their mess or face a fine.

But some complained there were no public toilets open late. It is hoped the urinals will solve the problem.

Based on a model used in France, the project is operated by the police and Wrexham Council.

The four-bay urinals have been placed on Town Hill, near the majority of the town's nightspots.

Up to 10,000 people regularly drink in Wrexham and, with pubs and clubs opening longer, it is believed that figure could rise particularly over the festival season.

Sergeant John Williams from North Wales Police said it is hoped the portable toilets will prove a hit with drinkers.

"This is about changing people's behaviour and providing the facilities to allow that to happen," he said.

We're putting these here for the time being as a trial in the run up to Christmas so people have somewhere to go Llinos Jehu, Wrexham Council

"We hope the provision of these urinals will make people's experience of the town a more pleasant one."

The facilities have been successfully used in other parts of the UK including Westminster, Manchester and Coventry.

However, men passing the urinals on Friday could not decide what they thought of them.

"It's a good idea, obviously there's a lot of mess in the town late at night and if it saves on that then good," said Hayden Roberts.

However, he said he would only use them "if desperate". He added: "It's better than behind the wall I suppose".

Anti-social

Teenager Nathan Jones said he would not use them "unless they were covered up".

Llinos Jehu from Wrexham Council hopes the urinals will prove successful.

"We've got a problem with anti-social behaviour in the town centre late at night when people come out of the clubs and we're aware that there aren't any toilets for people to use," she said.

There are currently no public conveniences open late for women or disabled people to use but Ms Jehu said that would be tackled.

The urinals are the latest in a long list of initiatives introduced to make Wrexham a safer place at night.

Last month a weekend bus service for clubbers and pub goers was introduced to get them home quickly and safely.