THE continual misuse of the Leeds Street public toilets has led Footscray traders to cast doubt on Maribyrnong Council's claims they're being cleaned regularly.

The council says the toilets are cleaned twice a day by a contractor, but Footscray Traders Association president Grant Miles says otherwise.

"It has basically been operating as a shooting gallery," he said.

"They may be contracted to clean it twice a day, but I can tell you they aren't getting cleaned twice a day."

Mr Miles was stationed close to the toilet block during the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival while overseeing the popular Rickshaw Run, which took diners on a tour of Footscray's restaurants.

"It was disappointing [the state of the toilets]. We tried to hold people off from using them and recommended waiting until we reached the restaurants.

"We were standing right there for 10 days and they didn't seem to be getting cleaned twice a day, that's for sure."

The council maintained the toilet block was being cleaned regularly by a contractor and checked by the council's syringe collection officer twice a week.

Police conceded the toilet block had a history of misappropriation by drug users.

"We're certainly aware that it's been utilised by drug users and has been for a long time," Senior Sergeant Damien Jones said.

Mr Miles said that despite the poor behaviour of a few people, the Rickshaw Run was a resounding success in attracting food enthusiasts to Footscray from other areas of Melbourne.

"I can't stress enough how much of a success it was, and we learnt a lot from the experience so next year should be bigger and better."

The council has urged residents to contact the syringe collection hotline to report inappropriately discarded syringes in public toilets and across the municipality.