Market Drayton Town Council given £50k for major refurb of vandal-hit toilet block
A town council has received a lump sum of funding for a major refurbishment of a vandal-plagued toilet block.
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Market Drayton Town Council has received £50,000 from Shropshire Council to go towards a redevelopment of the Towers Lawn public toilets.
The toilet block has been subjected to repeated vandalism in the past year, and the facility's proposed new new layout will see a total of five new "vandal-proof" cubicles installed with baby changing facilities in the men’s, ladies and disabled toilets.
Shropshire Council and Market Drayton Town Council had outlined aspirations to improve facilities for both bus drivers and passengers at Market Drayton Bus Station - that the public toilet block is situated next to.
After work by the authority's previous deputy leader Ian Nellins, it was proposed that an empty space inside the toilet block could become a new driver rest room, and the provision was welcomed into the town council's plans.
As a result, Shropshire Council has provided the £50,000 cash injection from its allocation of Government bus service improvement funding.
Market Drayton Town Council has now received the funding that it will use towards improving the facility.
Chair of the services and facilities committee at the town council, Tim Manton said: "Shropshire Council had offered £50,000 towards the project to go towards a drivers rest area. We have now received the funding from Shropshire Council and it is in the bank account which is great.
"This funding was directly down to the hard work of Ian Nellins."
Arriva, who operates the '64' bus service between Market Drayton and Shrewsbury, has thrown its weight behind plans to improve facilities in Market Drayton.
Although there is no specific date for when the project will begin, it's hoped that a contractor will begin works within the next two to three months.
Mr Manton added that the town council is now shortlisting suppliers before it will consult and award a contract.
"We are already cracking on with the project and we are currently shortlisting the suppliers that haver offered tenders for it," he continued.
"There is no specific date on it but time-frame wise, we hope work will start in the next two to three months."
A Shropshire Council spokesperson added: "We’re pleased to have provided Market Drayton Town Council with £50,000 from our award of Government bus service improvement funding.
"This funding will help to create a new driver rest room, which will help to improve bus service provision in the area, and will also help with timetable planning."
