Motorway service stations can now apply for funding to become fully accessible

Wed,10 April 2019
News Equality & Rights

The Department for Transport is partnering with Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK) to award the money for Changing Places toilets, which are expected to be ready by the early 2020s.

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More than a quarter of a million people across the UK cannot use standard accessible toilets, meaning that they are forced to go for long journeys without a bathroom break, be changed by their carers on toilet floors, or have to stay at home.

By providing more space and specialised equipment, including adult-sized changing benches and hoists, Changing Places facilities allow people with conditions like muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy to use the bathroom safely and comfortably, removing some of the difficulties faced by disabled people travelling on the roads.

The department’s partnership with MDUK was announced last November to bring Changing Places toilets to the majority of motorway service areas, as part of the government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy which aims to provide equal access to the transport network by 2030.

The Changing Places application portal will be open for 3 months with successful applicants announced in September.

Visit the Changing Places funding application form for more information.