Lee Valley VeloPark

suet

27 Oct 2016

Great sporting spectacular at the Lee Valley Velopark

4

4

Date of visit: October 2016

I have experience of challenges around: moving around

Overall Rating

Good

Fantastic venue, superbly accessible though a bit tricky to get to and with questionable toilet arrangements! Great cycling - wonderful visibility from wheelchair seats.

Disabled Access In and Around

Excellent

Inside the venue, I couldn't fault the access. My only gripe was the heavy double entrance doors for my hubbie to push me through. However the jolly and plentiful stewards were quick to react and help him. Flooring is smooth to wheel on. All wheelchair spaces were at entrance level as were the loos and food/drink outlets (which were great as well). I got a fantastic view - the row in front was sufficiently low as not to impede my view even when they stood up. Whole track is easy to see.

Parking & Transport

Poor

It's a bit out of the way in Lee Valley area. We went by train then tube to Stratford Underground station which is a bit convoluted in terms of getting from Jubilee line to exit (poor signposting we thought and several lifts to navigate). There's no parking at the venue for events. In normal circumstances it's a 20 minute push/walk from tube to velodrome - however West Ham were at home nearby so routes near Westfield were closed off and it took much much further. The organisers had een fit to include flights of stairs on their diversions so we had to go it's alone to find stepfree routes - very poor!

Accessible Toilets

Bad

Well the loo itself is lovely - well equipped etc. HOWEVER, there are separate ladies and gents disabled loos and they are located inside the respective gender toilets. So firstly you have to travel further to find "your" loos. Then you have to open the heavy door and wheel across to find the accessible one (it's not the one nearest the door). In my case, I can't self propel so my husband had to go into the ladies and then go outside to wait (though if I'd needed help, he would have had to stay!), then tentatively open the door too check if I was ready and it was safe to come back in! NO, NO, NO! Hence score of 1!

Staff

Excellent

Stewards all lovely, helpful, obliging. Couldn't fault them.

Additional Information

Velopark need to provide loos that are more accessible ie no double doors and not within single sex toilet blocks so that people with opposite sex carers can access them. There was an excellent range of good quality food and drink outlets - all accessible though didn't see any low counters (food to take back to your seat).