Welcome to Cardiff!
4.5
4.5
Date of visit: December 2024
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Excellent
Cardiff Bus Interchange is a recent addition to the city, having opened in June 2024. Just across the way from Cardiff Central Railway Station, this location has buses, of course, but it also features a Changing Places toilet, three accessible toilets and a whole host of accessibility features.
Disabled Access In and Around
Excellent
The Interchange has automatic sliding doors at both entrances, opening up to a spacious foyer with plentiful seating and level access throughout. At the North and South entrances of the building, there are tactile braille maps designed in collaboration with RNIB, to make navigation easier for visually impaired bus passengers. Also on both sides are information terminals, which have QR codes, that when scanned bring up BSL information. Tactile paving is employed throughout the interchange, forming paths to each of the 15 bus gates and the toilets. The paving is a deep black, contrasting well against the grey flooring, further supporting those with limited vision. The bus gates have automatic doors, and the buses lower to help disable passengers board.
Parking & Transport
Good
Cardiff Central Railway Station is a short distance from the Bus Interchange. As the railway station does not have a Changing Places toilet the Interchange offers a great alternative. There is a taxi drop-off just outside the station, providing another route to access the Interchange. The closest bus stops can be found on Wood Street, where the 17, 18, and 95 Cardiff Bus services operate, and St Mary's Street, where the 7, 8, and 9 Cardiff Bus services run. Cardiff Central Riverside Car Park, located at the rear of the train station, has two accessible parking spaces and 101 standard parking spaces. APCOA, who operate the car park, advise that Blue Badge holders are entitled to 20 minutes of free parking.
Accessible Toilets
Good
This location loses a little praise due to the requirement for both a RADAR key and a PIN code to enter the toilet. This means you need to get a member of staff to help, but there are plenty of them, and they look out for people trying to access the toilet. The door opens outwards, and there's just about everything you'd need in a Changing Places toilet. This toilet features a ceiling track hoist and a height-adjustable changing bed, with a large paper towel dispenser. The toilet seat is static but features rails on either side, a colostomy shelf on the right when seated, and a privacy screen. There is space for both left and right-side transfers. The sink has a deep basin, a lever-style tap with grab rails on both sides, and, like the changing bed, is height adjustable. Red emergency cords are installed both at the toilet seat and at the door, and the cords were hanging to the floor during my visit. There are three additional accessible toilets at the location, all of which have an "L" or "R" on the door to indicate the side of the transfer space, which I absolutely love. I used one accessible toilet, which had a right-side transfer space, and whilst it is small, it can accommodate a power chair and an additional person.
Staff
Excellent
Absolutely faultless. Eager to help, receptive to feedback and keen to learn how they can make the Interchange as accessible as possible, all you could ask for really.
Additional Information
I think this location is great, but I really feel we need to consider an alternative solution for accessing the Changing Places toilet. I understand this is a protective measure, but all it does is draw attention to the toileting needs of users, resulting in conversations about why someone needs the toilet when there are countless reasons a Changing Places facility might be required. I know the staff are receptive to feedback, so I hope to see a change here before long.
