Changing Places Case Study: Bridport Bus Station

Written by Kit Garrett
September 21, 2023

Located just inland from the English Channel on the Dorset coast, Bridport is in striking distance of some of the best experiences that the south east has to offer. Thanks to the installation of a new Changing Places toilet, disabled people and their families can now confidently use it as a base for their day trips and holidays.

A Step Back In Time, Looking Forward

Playing host to no fewer than five markets, all of different varieties and styles, as well as a plethora of quirky independent stores, Bridport is the quintessential English market town. Unlike some of its contemporaries, Bridport has very much moved with trends and the times to transform itself into a thriving community that still maintains the heritage of its rich history. Whether you’re a fashion fiend, an antiques aficionado or a food follower, you’re sure to find something to tickle your fancy. If shopping’s not for you, the seaside town of West Bay, home to another RISE Changing Places installation, is just a couple of miles away by car, with its glorious blue waters and all the fun of the beach.

To keep up with changes in visitor demographics, and to further demonstrate its status as a serious holiday and day trip destination, Bridport Town Council took the decision to install a Changing Places toilet of their own. A grant from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities £30m Changing Places fund meant that the Town Council could proceed with confidence, knowing any potential costs would be covered.

To maximise the usefulness for both visiting travellers and the local community, the decision was made that it should be sited at Bridport’s bus station, giving the town’s transportation hub a much-welcomed, and vital, boost.

What Would You Build?

We Love A Seaside Job

Though not technically by the seaside itself, Bridport is so close to the coast that it basically counts – and at RISE, we love doing jobs by the coast! So it was a pleasure to work with the team at Bridport Town Council to turn their vision into a reality.

As with all of our CPT jobs, we first discussed the possibilities with the client; modular pod, adaptation or custom traditional build. As it offered the right alignment of cost, timescale and functionality, the Council opted for one of our modular CP+0 pods – ideal for their needs, as it can be slotted in around existing infrastructure with a minimum of onsite fuss and disruption.

Configuration agreed upon and site surveys complete, we got cracking with fabrication. Thanks to our bespoke, in-house design service, Bridport Council were able to customise every aspect of their installation to their liking. After locking in their choices of door on the short end and grey board exterior finish, we set to work crafting their pod. As fabrication neared its end, our expert groundworks team moved to the site to prepare the foundation and expose the utilities our installation team would need to get the new pod situated. Once all fabrication and groundworks were complete, all that was left was to deliver the new facility and carefully crane it into position, with our installation team taking less than a day on-site to get the new Changing Places toilet up and running.

From order to final signoff, the Bridport project took just under 10 weeks – a testament to the efficiency of modular pod systems and the hard work and dedication of all parties involved.

Accessible Tourism: Things to Consider

Did you know…

According to Euan’s Guide, the accessible tourism industry in the UK is estimated to be worth £15.3billion per year?
That around 250,000 people in the UK need access to Changing Places toilets to use the bathroom with dignity & that number multiplies when you take families and travelling partners into account?
That 91% of disabled people will try to find information about accessibility at their destination before travelling?
Or that 58% say they will avoid a place or change plans if no information is available?

Destinations that fail to cater to the needs of disabled people will, over time, simply lose out to those that do. The first step to ensuring you capture part of that market is making sure you’re set up for success; RISE can help you on your journey, through our free Changing Places seminars, advice and other resources.

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