As an incredibly busy summer draws to a close, a number of seasonal changes on Torbay beaches come into effect from Friday 1 October.
From Friday 1 October, the summer dog ban is lifted on all beaches, meaning from 1 October until 30 April dog walkers may exercise their dog freely on all beaches in the Bay.
A spokesperson for Torbay Council said: “Dog walkers are asked to keep dogs on a lead on the highways and pavements until getting onto the beach, and to clean up their dog’s mess in all public spaces (including beaches).
“Unfortunately, a few careless dog owners can cause a great deal of annoyance and distaste to all members of the public by not cleaning up the mess their dog can leave behind. There are bins located at all beaches around Torbay, so dog mess should never be left buried in the sand.
“With more people swimming in the sea during the winter months, it is very important people pick up after their dogs. Dog faeces contains extremely high levels of bacteria which can infect swimmers. Most beaches in Torbay have significantly less movement of water compared to those outside of the bay, so bacteria are likely to remain in the water where bathers enter.
“We are very proud of our beaches, and many of them have received Blue Flag awards, meaning all who visit them can be sure that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the international bathing water quality standards. More information on our Blue Flag beaches here.
“We ask all dog owners to ensure dogs are well behaved and listen to verbal commands. If a dog does not respond to an owners recall, then it should remain on a lead at all times.”
Dog owners who fail to pick up after their dog and are seen by officers could receive a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice. Dog fouling issues can be reported on the Council website www.torbay.gov.uk/dog-fouling/ or by calling 01803 208025.
From 1 October, there will also be changes to the opening hours of Torbay’s public toilet facilities.
Between 1 and 30 October, toilets will operate from 8am to 8pm, and from 1 November to 4 April toilets will operate from 8am to 6pm (disabled toilets will remain open to 8pm). Preston Redcliffe will close and reopen next summer.
Any issues with public toilets should be reported directly to Healthmatic, either by calling 01249 823143 or emailing service@healthmatic.com
Users of public toilet facilities across Torbay are asked to please treat the staff working hard to clean and maintain Torbay’s public toilets with respect.
Councillor Mike Morey, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, Environment and Culture, Torbay Council, said; “As an incredibly busy summer draws to a close, I’d like to thank all of Torbay’s frontline teams for their hard work in keeping our public facilities and open spaces clean and tidy. As we move into the quieter months, our teams will still be out there maintaining facilities and open spaces and I’d like to urge everyone to do their bit. Whether that’s leaving public toilets to the standard in which they would wish to find them, disposing of their litter or picking up after their dog. If everyone does their bit, we can all continue to enjoy our stunning beaches and open spaces over the winter months.”
The usual seasonal restrictions for dogs on beaches will come back into force on 1 May 2022.
Find out the location and facilities of public toilets in Torbay via: https://www.torbay.gov.uk/leisure-sports-and-community/toilets/
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