Need to spend a penny? You'll be lucky. Customers caught short at Brighton station are being charged 20p to use the new public conveniences.

With a potential clientele of seven million commuters a year, they could be among the most profitable loos in the country.

But their grand unveiling yesterday came as a welcome relief to commuters, who for many years have had to put up with lavatories described by Lord Rogers, a leading architect and confidante of Tony Blair, as "ghastly".

The new toilets were opened with the cutting of a ribbon by Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper and speeches from Southern rail company executives who put up £400,000 for the new facilities.

Unlike their much-maligned predecessors, they are carpeted, airy and do not smell.

There are 14 cubicles, seven urinals and 14 wash basins in the gent's section. The ladies' has 20 cubicles.

All are spotlessly clean and attended by uniformed employees.

The 160-year-old Victorian toilets used by the men until yesterday, were dark, damp, and smelly and featured a stained steel trough against a wall.

Lord Rogers said: "There was no mirror and you had to wee in a trough. It was absolutely disgusting."

The new toilets have been built on the site of a former creche and offices. Architects had to liaise with English Heritage as the buildings had Grade II listed status.

David Lepper, Brighton Pavilion MP, a regular train traveller, and one of the chief critics of the old toilets, said: "After campaigning for new toilets for so long, I told Southern I would gladly perform this ceremony any time at their convenience. It is a real sense of relief for many rail users they are being opened. Our station now has loos to be proud of."

Southern's Sam Hodder said: "The work to improve the toilet facilities has been high on our agenda for many years."

But anybody arriving at the station after 11pm will find the toilets shut until 6am the following day. And if a passenger does not have enough cash?

Supervisor Zuhra Valieva explained: "No way will we give someone 20p.

"We have been told not to let anyone in without paying. It is 20p or nothing."

The last male passengers to use the old toilets in Brighton station could not see the back of them quickly enough.

Colin McNish, 73, from Bromley, Kent, said: "I have been using them for 50 years and it is time they were closed."

Harvey Gillis, 38, from Brighton, said: "They smelt and people only used them if they had to. I am not bothered about paying 20p to use new loos, provided they are clean."

The first users of the new toilets were impressed with the facilities. Chris Littledale, who runs the Brighton Toy and Model Museum, said: "They are smart and clean in complete contrast to the ones they are replacing."

But Stuart Channell, 62, from Queensland, Australia, said: "They are excellent but it is a bit of a cheek to charge 20p for a pee."