Manchester Piccadilly station now has a waiting lounge for passengers who need help to get on and off trains.

Network Rail created the new Assisted Travel Lounge near platform one by connecting a series of disused rooms behind the former passenger assistance waiting area. It describes the new space as a “quiet and welcoming” waiting area for passengers with mobility and sensory needs, with staff available to help.

The work cost £800,000, and the lounge features:

• accessible seating with integrated space for wheelchairs
• an accredited Changing Places toilet facility
• an accessible toilet
• a sensory space for people who find stations overwhelming
• a staffed welcome desk
• facilities for service animals
• British Sign Language information screens

The design was guided by Manchester Piccadilly’s disability ‘task and finish’ group, which includes disabled people, carers and advocates, to ensure the space meets the needs of the people who will use it.

Passengers can access the lounge accessed through doors in the station’s side entrance lobby from the car park. Although the lounge will only be open between 7.15am and 9pm from Monday to Saturday, the Changing Places facility is open 24 hours a day on request.

More than seventy-five thousand disabled people used the Assisted Travel service at Manchester Piccadilly station last year. The Network Rail station team and train operators work together to help passengers who need assistance getting between trains and the station concourse.

Major train operators which serve Manchester Piccadilly have welcomed thenew Assisted Travel Lounge for their passengers.

For more information on how to book assisted travel this webpage:

Scott Green, Station Manager at Piccadilly, said: “It’s great to see the new Assisted Travel Lounge open and we believe it will transform the way passengers access rail travel at Manchester Piccadilly.

“For some, travelling through a busy railway station can be a very daunting experience, so these new state-of-the-art facilities will make a huge difference to them, providing a friendly space for people to wait and get the help they need from a dedicated team. It’s part of our ongoing commitment to provide the best possible service for passengers with additional mobility and sensory needs.”

Stephen Brookes MBE, Disability Rights UK rail policy adviser, said: “We continue to build on our close cooperative relationship with Network Rail and Manchester Piccadilly by being invited to give advice on all aspects of access to the station for disabled people. The success for us and indeed for Network Rail is that we help get it right from the start, so we are pleased to welcome this great facility.”

Brandon Peat, Avanti West Coast accessibility and inclusion manager, said: “We want everyone to use the railway, so it’s great there’s now a dedicated space at Manchester Piccadilly which meets the needs of people who require assistance.

“This new lounge is the latest initiative on our route to make rail travel accessible and inclusive for all and we welcome Network Rail’s investment to improve the overall journey experience of disabled customers. We hope this space will reassure those who may need a bit of extra support that they’ll be assisted in the best possible way when travelling to and from Manchester.”

Nick Chadwick, CrossCountry‘s regional director for North West & West Midlands, said: “It’s great to see the new Assisted Travel Lounge open at Manchester Piccadilly, delivering a step change in the customer service we offer to passengers requiring assistance at this key hub for the North West.

“We want to help as many passengers as possible travel with confidence on our network, so I’d invite anyone who would appreciate a helping hand at the station to come and make the most of the new facilities.”

Craig Harrop, Northern regional director, said: “We welcome the new Assisted Travel Lounge at Manchester Piccadilly. Making the railway as accessible as possible is something everyone across the industry supports and I’m pleased our passengers using the station can benefit from this new facility.”