PEOPLE power has won out in Chippenham after David Small's one-man crusade to get the bus station toilets back has ended in victory.

Dad-of-two Mr Small, 44, whose Bakehouse Close home backs onto the bus station, took North Wiltshire District Council to the local government ombudsman last year for not moving swiftly enough to solve the problem of urinating bus drivers at the station.

Last summer, the ombudsman ruled in his favour and the district council were told to get together an action plan of what they intended to do.

Mr Small has captured up to 100 bus drivers on camera, urinating in the station since the toilets were removed in 2006.

He is now demanding that the council confirm when and where the toilets will be installed. He fears the district council is delaying the decision until Wiltshire becomes a unitary authority in April 2009, when they will no longer have any jurisdiction over the bus station toilets.

Mr Small said: "It is not a solution to simply say the toilets will return, there must be definite plans and a schedule of the work. This is a huge problem and one I refuse to live with for a fourth year. I do not have a problem with the bus drivers because they need to relieve themselves somewhere, but something needs to be done.

"I was outraged when I learnt that the council were spending £400 a month on using chemicals to wash away the urine from the station. The chemicals were running in my garden and into our water system.

"I do support the toilets coming back but the council needs to take immediate charge and follow up all of these plans. The council now know they have to act and I will do everything in my power to make sure this happens."

It was decided at a full council meeting last week that the district council will give up to £100,000 to the project. This will help fund the build but will not go any way towards covering the running costs, which will fall upon Chippenham Town Council.

Leader of North Wiltshire District Council Dick Tonge said: "I was not aware of the ombudsman case at all but would like to stress that this money is completely discretionary and this is not our responsibility. The toilets were torn down by the previous Liberal Democrat council who then realised they did not have the money to reinstate them.

"We acknowledge that there is a public health risk with bus drivers relieving themselves at the station.

"It is usual with discretionary projects such as this one, that the town council take over the management after our financial contribution."