Women's urinals have proved to be unpopular

Four women’s urinals installed in a convention center in Salzburg, Austria, have proven to be so unpopular that they might have to be removed - despite being lauded for their hygiene and water saving potential.

The urinals were installed 12 years ago, to some excitement as they were considered rather modern at the time. However, they failed to catch on and are now often locked and out of use. The manufacturers of the urinals said that when used correctly they are more sanitary than ‘sit down toilets’ as the user doesn’t have to come into contact with the seat.
They also take up less floor space - having only a small partition wall between each urinal - and use less water. The four women’s urinals in the Salzburg Congress building seemed to be a cause of confusion, Bert Brugger, boss of Tourismus Salzburg GmbH (TSG) said.

Some women believed they had mistakenly wandered into a men’s toilet and others just had no idea how to use them - although an illustration was available. Brugger confirmed that the urinals could soon be removed. Austria’s Chamber of Commerce said it doubted that women’s urinals would ever prove popular in Austria and that restaurants and guest houses were not keen on the idea.