Thanks to the comments of support from yourself and others here!

As to some of the more negative comments, I am sure that the 20p charge
*would* act as a deterrant - yobs are less likely to spend 20p if they want
to vandalise, there are plenty of free places out there they can attack.

Improved CCTV at the entrance (obviously not in the toilet itself though!),
someone there manning it and cleaning up afterwards... all these things
help, and rather than costing the taxpayer extra money, it could end up
paying for itself.

It's sad but true but people see any group of young guys wearing hoodies
and automatically think they're trouble. In actual fact - even in Canning
Town - the yobs are a tiny tiny percentage. Having someone manning the
place and collecting tips, or charging 20p via a turnstile or whatever, is
surely the way forward.

As for the rant about rates, well they're always going up and the council
tax is already so high - a pound per person per year will be welcomed if it
means later-opening facilities at the underground station (and as a result,
less public inconvenience).

To take my borough as an example: 246,200 inhabitants, 10,000 unemployed. I
am sure that it wouldn't cost more than £200K per year to keep existing
underground station toilets open for another 4 and a half hours per day,
and have someone there manning it and taking tips. Furthermore, providing
employment.

As for contacting my MP, tried it and had no reply. Twice. Not about this
issue, but on a request to provide an opening in the fence between exit 5
of the bus station and Canning Town, and Silvertown Way, so that people can
get to the taxi rank easily when they get off the tube without having to
somersault over the fence, or walk the long way round and miss the odd taxi
that might be there.

As a result, there are hardly ANY taxis EVER at that rank, because it's so
annoying to get to. It would be much easier if you are waiting for either a
bus or a taxi (whichever comes first) and can easily get from one to the
other without risking ones family jewels. An opening in the fence, and the
pedestrian crossing to be moved accordingly (as hardly anyone uses the
"main" exit at Canning Town unless they are fanatics of climbing stairs).

But that's for another post, another day. :-)