MORE council-run toilets across the borough are being reopened or opening hours extended.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said it is investing in free outdoor spaces like parks and play areas and improving opportunities for residents to access them more easily.

As part of this, the council has extended the opening hours of Eastrop Park’s toilets from summer opening hours to all-year-round opening hours, to encourage more people to get outdoors and enjoy the council’s town centre parks.

This follows last year's decision to scrap car parking charges at Eastrop Park to enable more people to enjoy the Green Flag park for longer.

READ MORE: Sanitary bins for men to be installed at Hampshire County Council

Runners, volunteers and spectators who attend the free weekly 5km parkrun held at the council’s War Memorial Park in Basingstoke can now use the council-owned John Arlott Pavilion toilets every Saturday morning.

The decision was very well received by attendees who had been without toilet facilities for many years.

The accessible toilet in the same building has also now been reopened and is available during the week.

Plans to reopen the male and female toilets during the week for visitors to the park are also being explored.

The council has also extended the public toilet opening hours in Kingsclere and Overton to include weekends.

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke man jailed for role in phone contract fraud

Cabinet member for residents’ services and housing, Cllr Laura James, said: “Investing in and delivering services that really matter to our residents is a priority for us as a cabinet. We know our parks and play areas are very important to our residents’ health and wellbeing which is why we are working hard to both maintain and improve these areas but also increase opportunities for residents to access them.

“Easy access to public toilets will improve opportunities for many people to visit our parks and open spaces.

“We have listened and have provided much-needed toilet facilities for the popular parkrun event, we are investing in toilet facilities to enable more people to visit our town centre parks for longer and we are working with our communities to help meet their needs.”