Disabled Facilities at Motorway Services

Hi, I am a carer for my ex husband and we travel frequently by car to Scotland. He has MS and uses a wheelchair. Every time we come back I say I am going to do something about the dreadful disabled facilities we encounter at some of the motorway service areas. I am in touch with my MP and her office and doing research and building up a file with the hope of trying to get things changed. It would be most helpful to hear other peoples’ stories of their experiences using motorway facilities.
There are three areas of particular concern (and you could have others)
1) Disabled parking bays seem to have been slowly taken over by electric charging points and these are the ones nearest to the entrance. New disabled spaces are not being provided to replace those taken.
2) Disabled toilets can be extremely poor. Welcome Break seem to only provide one unisex disabled toilet whatever the size of their outlet and this is shared by baby changing. Official guidance says ‘wheelchair accessible disabled toilets should not be used for baby changing’, the reasoning being that this can cause a considerable wait for people with disabilities.
3) The siting of toilets is important. Some services place all their toilets, including disabled, a long way from the entrance meaning disabled people of all kinds, not just wheelchair users but the frail and elderly, are made to negotiate through throngs of people to get to a toilet. Again, guidance says that ‘the time needed to reach a wheelchair accessible toilet should be kept to a minimum’.
So, if anyone has any views/concerns/incidents they would like to share I would love to hear them.
Replies
In reference to the toilet aspect, I wonder if Changing Places might have some useful tools or tips that could help your campaigning?
Cader x
I'm sure we're not the only ones and it would be good to hear from other people to back this up.
Jackie x
As you say, the toilets always take you to the furthest point so you are tempted to buy something. Its impossible getting through crowds sometimes when fit and able. Horrendous that my friend who copes everywhere else with just a stick, will feel he's giving in if we have to hire a chair just to get over this issue!
-agree disabled parking spots being taken over by power points. And never ever regulated...that I've seen.
- disabled toilets inside female/male blocks..... So my husband who identifies as male can't push me, I identify female, into the disabled toilet.
- slopes, doors, lifts, steps..... All a b%itch.
- stupid key systems where you park near the loo but then have to walk/roll for ages to get the damn key.
- grass and wonky paving....
- cash machines tills etc all too high.
Really grateful for you doing something about it thsnks
"I'm trying to live like a random poem I read that ended 'to bloom where we are planted"