Signs telling people not to publicly urinate or defecate have gone up across York city centre.
The signs, which warn that those caught face fines and risk prosecution, have gone on display after £100 penalties for offences were approved by City of York Council in April.
Council communities lead Pauline Stuchfield said people should use toilets in pubs, cafés and other venus they have visited while those caught relieving themselves publicly would face immediate consequences.
The warnings follow the approval of a city-wide public space protection order in April giving the council powers to issue on-the-spot fixed penalty notices to offenders.
The order, which came into force at the start of June, also gave the council powers to fine people £100 for dog fouling and failing to control their pets.
Introducing the fixed penalties aimed to provide more efficient and proportionate responses to offences that avoided lengthy and costly legal proceedings, according to council proposals setting out the case for them.
The council will still have the power to prosecute the worst offenders.
It comes as data showed that York’s Business Improvement District received 4,194 requests to clean up urine in the year up to March 2024.
Many of the offences are thought to relate to late-night revellers relieving themselves in the doorways of shops and other businesses.
Requests related to human biohazard fluid such as vomit numbered 2,058 during the same period.
But there were only three prosecutions for street urination and defecation in 2023-4 and a total of 28 since from March 2021 to the same time last year.
More than four fifths of 1,026 respondents to a council consultation on the penalties backed fines for street urination and defecation.
But 162 of 346 people who commented said a lack of public toilets was to blame.
The Labour-run council’s executive heard in April work was underway to encourage hospitality venues and others to let people use their toilets.
Council officials said at the time they were working on a campaign with the industry to encourage people to use the toilets of pubs, bars and other venues before leaving.
Speaking after the signs went on display, council housing and communities director Ms Stuchfield said the authority would work to tackle key hotspots for offences as its intelligence develops.
She added the fines reflected the risks and costs of offenders’ actions.
Ms Stuchfield said: “We want these offences to stop.
“They create health hazards and an unwelcome environment for people simply going about their daily business.
“The PSPO provides the powers to enforce where people commit these offences, ensuring there are suitable consequences for those that fail to respect our city and its public spaces.”