Little and large lifts
4
4
Date of visit: November 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: disabled toilet, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Good
This metro station was a fairly small one but it did have a small shop and an accessible toilet in the ticket hall which was really useful. The platforms are located below ground and so aren't out in the open air. The station appeared to be heated to a certain extent as well so it was warmer than outside. There was a good amount of seating on the platforms and I found the signage easy to follow. I had to travel in two lifts to get to my platform, one was really large and spacious and the other was almost too small for me to get into. The staff in the station were incredibly helpful.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
The metro system in Liverpool has an accessibility map where each stop has been given a letter, A, B, or C, which provides information about whether or not there is step-free access to the train platforms. - A means there is step-free access to all the platforms - B means there is step-free access but it might only be in one direction - C means there is no step-free access at the station This station is an ‘A’ station. The main entrance to the station had automatic doors that opened outwards. To the right as you entered there was then another set of doors which led to a ticket desk and some ticket machines and a small shop. On the left were the ticket barriers and straight ahead were some toilets, including an accessible toilet. Most of the ticket barriers were automatic. They opened by swiping or inserting a ticket or payment method. These were quite narrow, but there was a wider gate that was opened by staff. There were two members of staff at this gate when I was there and they were really helpful. In order to get from the ticket hall to the platforms you had to take two lifts. The first set of lifts went from the ticket hall down to a middle level. There were four lifts available and they were all really large. They had grab rails on either side of them and button panels at both ends of the lifts. There were doors on either side of the lifts too. Once I had reached the middle level I followed the signage for the platform I needed and then there was another lift. This lift was really small and I found that it was a struggle to fit inside with my wheelchair and power attachment on the front of it. If you had larger mobility equipment and needed someone to travel with you in the lift you might find that this lift could be too small. This lift also had doors on both sides. It only had a grab rail on one side though. The buttons for all of the lifts were tactile and also had Braille on them. They had a hearing loop symbol in them and they also had an additional, lowered alarm button in case someone fell and needed to call for help. The platforms were well signposted and the signage on the platforms was clear as well. There was a good amount of seating along both platforms. These had backrests and armrests. There were digital overhead displays with information about the trains that were due next. They had call points on the platforms too. The edge of the platform was marked with tactile markers and a painted yellow line. The new metro trains are level with the platform and also have a sliding-step which bridges the gap between the train and the platform. There is a large wheelchair symbol next to one set of the train doors, which shows where the most accessible boarding spot is. This means that you board via the doors that are closest to the large wheelchair space that they have on each train. The space has a plug socket, two USB cable ports, an emergency call point with Braille, a small shelf with two circular dips for cups, and two fold-up seats at one end of the space. The way this space has been designed means it works well for someone in a wheelchair, like me, but the fold-up seats at the end of the space mean it is also a great option for someone with a walker, someone who cannot bend their legs much, someone with an assistance dog, and lots of other scenarios that often get overlooked.
Accessible facilities: Lift to all areas, Step-free entrance, Seating at regular intervals, Step-free access to most areas
Parking & Transport
Good
I travelled to this place by walk or wheel
This station is on the Wirral Line and has trains going to Liverpool Central, New Brighton, Ellesmere Port, West Kirby and Chester. There is a bus stop directly outside the station where you can get the following buses: 41, 216, 410, 413 and 811. There are then a few more bus stops just over the road, between 35 and 100 metres away, where the following services are available: 41, 216, 217, 409, 410, 411, 413, 414, 423, 811, and National Express coaches. There is no dedicated parking for this station. The closest car park is NCP Birkenhead Bridge Street which is around 75 metres from the station entrance.
Accessible Toilets
Average
There was an accessible toilet at this station. It didn’t need a RADAR key to enter, it was just a standard door handle. The door opened outwards and it was quite heavy. Luckily, the station staff were located nearby so they assisted me with opening the door. The lock on the inside of the door was a small twist lock that needed a firm grip to turn it. I don’t think this could be done with a fist or elbow. The toilet itself was fairly spacious. Despite it being a public toilet, it felt fairly clean and well-maintained. There was space for a right-side transfer onto the toilet, however, a large bin was obstructing most of it. A height-adjustable grab rail was available and there was also a fixed, vertical grab rail on the wall behind the toilet and a fixed, horizontal grab rail underneath the toilet paper dispenser. The toilet had no lid and no back support. The flush was a circular button, which seemed like it might be too small to be pushed with a fist or elbow, and it was mounted on the wall behind the toilet. It was placed on the same side as the transfer area so you did not have to reach across the toilet to use it. A small sink was located in front of the toilet and a single tap was mounted on the right of it. The tap was manually operated and had a long handle with an upturned end which seemed like it could be operated with a fist or elbow. The tap twisted to control both the temperature and flow of the water. Above the sink was a manual soap dispenser and there was a vertical grab rail on either side of the sink. An automatic hand dryer was on the left-hand side of the sink. On the wall opposite the sink there was a baby-changing table mounted to the wall. The red emergency cord had been looped behind a grab rail. It would still have been able to be pulled from the position it was in but I still made sure to unloop it so it was hanging freely and placed a Euan’s Guide Red Cord Card on it.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
Excellent
The station staff I interacted with were really helpful. They helped me with the heavy toilet door and made sure I was happy with where I was going before I left the ticket hall. Another thing I liked about the metro system; there was always a member of staff on each train making sure everyone got on and off the train safely.
