Changing Places toilet - Great facilities, strange locking system
4.5
4.5
Date of visit: September 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
This review is specific to the Changing Places toilet at Edinburgh Waverley railway station. I’ll post the complete station review separately.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
The station has multiple lifts, which feature Braille buttons and an induction loop, as well as level access throughout. The signage to the toilet is clear, though I didn't identify any Braille signage inside or out.
Parking & Transport
Excellent
Accessible Toilets
Good
The lock on this toilet is a strange one. It requires a radar key, but you don’t put your key in the door, you instead put it into a keyhole on a metal plate on the wall and turn the key to the left - which is the opposite of most standard doors. It isn't clear if you've to take your key back out or not, I did as I was worried a passerby might take it. On the inside, the inward opening door is locked by pushing a button, which glows green. When you press it, it changes to blue for a second, then back to green - leaving me unsure if the door was actually locked. I used the toilet, carefully watching the door as I did so. I later asked a cleaner, who explained that you should take your key out of the lock and that despite the confusing setup of the lights inside, pressing it once does in fact lock the door, far from intuitive. As for the toilet itself, it's great. It has a ceiling track hoist and a large height-adjustable changing table with a nearby shower. A large paper towel dispenser for use with the bed hangs on the wall. A wheelchair transfer is possible from either side of the toilet, which has a contrasting seat and grab rails on either side. There's a colostomy shelf on the wall to the right when seated. The flush is on the left of the cistern when seated. The height-adjustable wash basin is deep and has contrasting grab rails on either side and there's non-slip flooring throughout. A second emergency cord hangs by the door, and both hung to the floor - which we love to see. The toilet was super clean too!
Staff
Excellent
The cleaner I spoke to was very helpful, it's just a shame they had to explain the locking system to me.
Additional Information
The accessible toilet further up the hall has this same type of locking system, whilst the one in the main corridor does not.
