第1570期:UK public toilets are less common

When you've got to go, you've got to go. At least that's the old saying! It refers to the often inconvenient need for a person to visit the toilet. It can happen to us all. There you are, out and about - when suddenly your bladder informs you that you need to spend a penny. The logical thing to do is tie a knot in it until you get to your destination, but what if you're busting? That's when you head straight to the nearest public lavatory. But in the UK, that might prove tough.

该走的时候，就该走。至少这是一句老话！它是指一个人经常不方便上厕所的需要。它可能发生在我们所有人身上。你在那里，到处走走——突然你的膀胱告诉你，你需要花一分钱。合乎逻辑的做法是在你到达目的地之前打个结，但如果你失败了怎么办？那是你直接前往最近的公共厕所的时候。但在英国，这可能会很艰难。

Public loos in the UK appear to be going down the toilet. At least 673 public restrooms across the UK have not been maintained by their councils since 2010, according to figures obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act. That means there are 13% fewer places where a person can have a tinkle. Why is this?

英国的公共厕所似乎正在下厕所。根据英国广播公司根据《信息自由法》获得的数据，自 2010 年以来，英国至少有 673 个公共厕所没有得到其议会的维护。这意味着一个人可以发出叮当声的地方减少了 13%。为什么是这样？

It's a combination of two factors. Councils in the UK are facing enormous pressure to reduce spending. By 2020, they will have experienced a 54% reduction in funding from central government, according to the UK's Local Government Association. Secondly, there is no legal requirement for a local authority to provide a location to relieve yourself. As a result, toilet upkeep often gets 'flushed' to save money. Many councils have handed over the running of some toilets to parish councils, private companies or community groups.

这是两个因素的结合。英国的议会正面临着削减开支的巨大压力。根据英国地方政府协会的数据，到 2020 年，他们将从中央政府获得的资金减少 54%。其次，地方当局没有法律要求提供一个地方来缓解自己。结果，厕所保养经常被“冲水”以节省资金。许多议会已将一些厕所的运营权移交给教区议会、私营公司或社区团体。

Councils have a 'moral responsibility' to provide access to public toilets, Raymond Martin of the British Toilet Association told the BBC. And it would seem that they know it, too. Despite closures, many councils have backed schemes to allow the public to use private business facilities to do their business. The City of London has run a community toilet scheme since 2012, giving the public free access to their toilets during trading hours, and Derry City and Strabane District Council's Community Toilet Scheme offers businesses in their remit a financial incentive to allow the public to powder their noses. In addition, Network Rail, owner and operator of the railway infrastructure in Britain, has plans in the pipeline to scrap entry fees at all of its station toilets from 2019.

英国厕所协会的雷蒙德·马丁告诉 BBC，议会有“道德责任”提供公共厕所。他们似乎也知道这一点。尽管关闭，但许多议会支持允许公众使用私人商业设施开展业务的计划。伦敦金融城自 2012 年开始实施社区厕所计划，允许公众在交易时间免费使用厕所，德里市和斯特拉班区议会的社区厕所计划在其职权范围内为企业提供经济激励，允许公众在他们的厕所上撒粉。鼻子。此外，英国铁路基础设施的所有者和运营商 Network Rail 计划从 2019 年起取消其所有车站厕所的入场费。

So it seems all hope is not lost. Despite the fact that council-run public toilet numbers are down, there are alternatives available. Rather than having to cross your legs, look around. You can always find somewhere that will let you polish the porcelain.

所以似乎所有的希望都没有失去。尽管市议会运营的公共厕所数量减少了，但仍有替代方案可用。与其交叉双腿，不如环顾四周。你总能找到能让你擦亮瓷器的地方。

词汇表

go 上厕所（口语）
toilet 卫生间
bladder 膀胱
spend a penny 去卫生间方便一下
tie a knot in it 忍着（口语）
busting 急着想上厕所
public lavatory 公共卫生间
loo 厕所（口语）
go down the toilet 打水漂，毁了（此处是双关用法）
restroom 公共洗手间
have a tinkle 小便（儿童用语）
relieve yourself 解手（礼貌说法）
flush 付诸东流，抛弃
do your business 这里指上厕所
powder your nose 如厕（委婉说法）
in the pipeline 在酝酿中，在筹备中
cross your legs （因憋着想上厕所而）交叉双腿
polish the porcelain 上厕所