Changing Places Case Study: Manchester Airport Station

Written by Pat McMahon
February 7, 2022

Steaming Ahead

We were delighted to have played a part in supporting TransPennine Express with their broader accessibility plans. Working on a subcontract basis for TMT Group, we created a new Changing Places facility at Manchester Airport Station.

The busy transport hub, known simply as ‘the Station’, has operated since 1993 for travellers making their way to Manchester Airport. The inclusion of a Changing Places toilet means potentially thousands more people can now travel comfortably to and from Manchester Airport without worrying about toilet accessibility.

Adapting An Existing Space

The new Changing Places toilet, located on platform three was completed in summer 2021. Working in a busy transport hub can take a lot of logistical planning but to minimise disruption, we spent three weeks on-site, completing the project with no issues.

Our scope of works included the initial dig-out for drainage; preparation of the room itself, installing wall panelling, safety flooring and suspended ceiling; first and second fix plumbing and electrics; and the installation and commissioning of all specialist equipment. In short, we transformed an empty shell into a welcoming and fully compliant Changing Places toilet, complete with custom feature wall.

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Travel Anywhere

The new facility at the Station is the first Changing Places toilet to be installed by TransPennine Express and is the start of a new commitment to improve accessibility on the UK rail network.

Travelling across the country on public transport is incredibly difficult for people that can’t use standard accessible toilets and families often resort to changing loved ones on toilet floors, or simply avoid travelling. A network of Changing Places toilets across the UK at all major transport hubs would mean many more people could travel, knowing they have a safe and dignified way to go to the bathroom.

Karen Hoe OBE, Changing Places Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK, which co-chairs the Changing Places Consortium, said:

“Muscular Dystrophy UK is delighted that a Changing Places toilet has been installed at Manchester Airport station. This is a much-needed step in the right direction to tackling the discrimination that so many people living with a severe disability face on a daily basis.”

TransPennine Express are equally pleased with the results, as Kathryn O’Brien, Customer Experience Director at TransPennine Express, concludes:

“I am delighted with these fantastic improvements and the fact they are fully inclusive for all our customers. The Changing Places toilet will provide a safe and comfortable changing space for those that need it.”