Pleasant station, unpleasant facilities
3
3
Date of visit: October 2025
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
Average
Tweedbank is a small station that operates regular services to Edinburgh. A little more than ten years old, it is a fairly modern station with a nearby accessible toilet, plentiful parking and local bus links. The accessible toilet is unfortunately a lowlight.
Disabled Access In and Around
Average
The station has two platforms, accessed by a tarmac ramp leading to the centre of both platforms. At the top of the ramp is a smartcard terminal to check in or out. On both the left and right platforms you will find departure information and special notices boards. The passenger assistance meeting point is clearly marked on either side of the ramp, on the poles with an information screen. The platform edges have tactile paving with sandy coloured slabs, but there are no yellow lines to warn of the platform edge. In the centre of the platform there is a rain shelter with seating. A help point is available on the platform, with braille markings on the intercom panel. It has a hearing loop and a button to call for information or customer services. There is a ticket machine in the rain shelter on the central platform, which can be accessed from a seated position. However, there are no accessibility features such as Bluetooth or a headphone jack. Seats can be found inside the rain shelter. There is a small takeaway coffee shop, which was closed by the time I arrived but there are automatic doors at the entrance to the shop.
Accessible facilities: Single-level venue, Step-free entrance, Seating at regular intervals
Parking & Transport
Good
I travelled to this place by personal vehicle
Parking is free at this location, which has 235 standard spaces and 13 accessible parking spaces. All accessible parking spaces have hatched markings on either side and offer plenty of room to open a door on either side. Drop off spaces are available at the station. There are two 7 kW Type 2 chargers in the car park. These are just past the accessible parking spaces but they are standard single bays. The 67 and 68 bus services operate from the nearby bus stop, which has a shelter and seats inside. An interesting thing about the bus shelter, was that there was a box full of apples, likely left by a local farmer, which I thought was a nice surprise – your fruit experience may differ.
Accessible facilities: Electric Vehicle Charging, Drop-off or pick up point, Dedicated on-site parking
Accessible Toilets
Bad
The accessible toilet is in a separate toilet block near the car park. It needs a RADAR key, and the door opens outwards. The first thing I noticed was the overwhelming smell of bleach as I entered the toilet. An empty bottle of bleach lay next to a mop pail filled with bleach and water. Being in the toilet was eye-watering and genuinely felt dangerous. A long strip light, or at least the box for one, was propped up against the wall. As for the accessibility of the accessible toilet, there are contrasting red grab rails on either side of the toilet. The transfer space is on the right side only, and it is clear. The toilet seat has definitely seen better days; it is very stained and does not contrast with the wall. Grab rails are installed in the transfer space, but only on one side. There is a grab rail to the right of the sink, which is the same type as that beside the toilet. The tap is a lever-style mixer tap. There is a hand dryer to the left, but no paper towels, and there is also a soap dispenser. The red cord is missing the lower bangle. The upper one is still there, but it does not hang anywhere near close enough to the floor. I appreciate how spacious this facility is, but I can’t see past the strong chemical smell. There were no members of staff on site during my visit, so I couldn’t provide feedback at the time. I genuinely hope this changes, as with a few tweaks it could be great, but as it is, I wouldn’t recommend this accessible toilet.
Facilities: Accessible toilet
Staff
This venue was not staffed.
