Overview

Manchester Piccadilly Train Station is a vast gateway to the UK, with routes to Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, London, Nottingham, Plymouth, Reading, and Southampton. The station boasts 14 platforms, a Metrolink and airport links, shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as a Changing Places toilet and a sensory area. It's easy to see why this is Manchester's busiest station.

Transport & Parking

There are both long and short-stay car parks operated by APCOA. Network Rail advises that there are 35 accessible spaces, though these are not free to use. Metrolink stations are local to Manchester Piccadilly, all of which are wheelchair accessible (as are the trams). Several bus routes on nearby Sheffield Street and Travis Street and a Taxi Rank at the Fairfield Street entrance.

Access

The station is accessible throughout, with level and step-free access to all floors. The signage is pretty good overall, though there was no indication of the sensory facilities available until I arrived at the accessibility lounge. The accessibility lounge has soft seats, soft lighting, a BSL departure screen, and a low reception desk. It features a sensory nook with soft padding and ambient lighting. The lounge also has a height-adjustable workstation and charging facilities. There are lifts across the station, with braille buttons. An induction loop operates at the desk in the accessibility lounge, at the ticket office, and on station platforms. BSL departure information is also displayed on a screen on the concourse. On the upper level, where the airport link stops, there's a large seating area with metal seats and charging facilities for mobile and mobility devices. Where there are steps, the edges are clearly marked, and handrails are installed on either side. Despite the size of the location and the number of passengers, I found plenty of space to get around. Additionally, there are automatic doors at all entrances and to the platforms.

Toilets

There is an accessible toilet and a Changing Places toilet in this area, with additional accessible toilets in other parts of the station. It's worth noting that the toilets in the lounge are much more pleasant to use and better looked after. The Changing Places toilet is on the right, just past the sensory nook. This toilet features an adjustable changing bed with a ceiling track hoist and shower. The toilet seat has a soft backrest with grab rails on both sides and space for left-side and right-side transfers. A large adjustable sink with a lever-style tap and grab rails on both sides is located close to the colostomy shelf. There are emergency cords at the door, near the sink, and close to the toilet, all of which were hung to the floor on my visit. The accessible toilet is kept to the same clean standard as the Changing Places toilet, though it's much smaller. The toilet has a soft backrest with grab rails on both sides, though only a right-side transfer is possible. There's a low, small sink with grab rails on both sides and a lever-style tap, and the red cord hangs to the floor. Neither toilet requires a RADAR key, and the doors are secured from the inside by raising the handle. The additional toilets throughout the station require a RADAR key to enter and are less spacious than those in the accessibility lounge.

Staff

Photos