On Friday, 28th April, at Woking station, South Western Railway (SWR) officially opened its first Changing Place toilet at one of its managed stations.
The new Changing Place toilet marks a significant milestone in South Western Railway's commitment to making its network more accessible and inclusive for all its customers.
It is a result of a £100,000 investment by the train operator in a larger and better-equipped accessible toilet for customers with more limited mobility, as well as those who have a carer, or personal assistant to support them with daily activities.
At the opening ceremony, the Member of Parliament for Woking, Jonathan Lord, cut the ribbon accompanied by members of the local Woking Access Group and South Western Railway colleagues, including Service Delivery Director Lyndsey Robson-Malone and delegates from the company's ABLE network that supports colleagues with visible and non-visible disabilities.
The Changing Place is equipped to provide added comfort, convenience, safety, and dignity for the customer and their carers or personal assistants.
According to the UK Government, over 250,000 people in the country would directly benefit from having access to such enhanced spaces.
Key features of the new Changing Place are:
- An electric, adult-sized, and height-adjustable changing bench;
- A tracked ceiling hoist system to help transfer wheelchair users to and from their wheelchair anywhere in the room;
- A ‘peninsula toilet' with ample space around it for mobility;
- A deployable privacy screen;
- A height-adjustable washbasin;
- A wide paper roll dispenser which can cover the changing bench;
- A RADAR lock to ensure the toilet is only used by those who need it.
Following the official opening, South Western Railway station colleagues underwent training sessions to learn how to best support customers using the Changing Place, and how to make sure it is properly maintained and ready to use.
As well as the Changing Place, Woking station also has one of three new Calming Spaces at stations managed by South Western Railway, alongside Salisbury in Wiltshire and Brockenhurst in Hampshire.
Calming Spaces are waiting rooms with calming features that create a more inclusive space for customers who are neurodiverse or may have non-visible disabilities. These features include acoustic and green sensory panelling on the walls, ceiling perimeter lighting, planting, and new bench seating.
With the Changing Place and Calming Space, as well as other accessibility features, Woking is now one of the company's most-accessible and inclusive stations.
It has step-free access to all platforms, with ramps to help customers board and alight trains. Wheelchairs are available for customers who need one, and step-free routes through the station are clearly marked with yellow signage to aid customer navigation.
Following feedback from Dementia Friends, bespoke icons have been also added to some of the station signs to help customers with dementia recognise particular utilities, such as toilet icons to show them where the toilet facilities are, or bin icons to show them where the bins are.
Lyndsey Robson-Malone, Service Delivery Director for South Western Railway, commented: “I'm delighted and proud that SWR has opened the first Changing Place toilet at one of our stations. This investment is a significant milestone for delivering on SWR's commitment to making our network more accessible for all of our customers.
“It was a pleasure to have the Member of Parliament for Woking, Jonathan Lord, and members of the Woking Access Group, in attendance for the official opening, alongside colleagues who have worked so well to deliver this for our customers.”
Jonathan Lord MP, Member of Parliament for Woking, said: “Woking station is a vital transport hub for Woking residents of all ages. It is terrific to see SWR upgrading the station in this way, making Woking probably the most accessible station on the SWR network.”
Cliff Bush OBE, Chairman of the Woking Access Group, added: “The Woking Access Group is elated at the opening of the much-needed Changing Place toilet at Woking station.
“It has been a real pleasure working with South Western Railway. On behalf of the Group, I would like to thank all involved in providing this facility.
“We look forward to continuing working with South Western Railway regarding accessibility at stations.”
