Peak District trail made more accessible by installation of new toilets
Being able to access the countryside with a disabled child or adult is a dream for some families. But thanks to the installation of a new changing place toilet (CPT) in a picturesque part of the Peak District, it can now be a reality.
The new facility has been opened at Millers Dale car park, next to the Monsal Trail, at the former MIller's Dale rail station between Bakewell and Buxton. CPTS can also be found elsewhere in the Peak District such as at Chatsworth House or the National Trust’s Ilam Park near Ashbourne.
It is a useful location for people visiting the nearby towns of Buxton and Bakewell and villages of Tideswell, Litton, Taddington and Wormhill.
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The Millers Dale CPT is the first to be located alongside former rail lines. In a nod to its former history, the CPT building has been designed to reflect a railway worker's hut, sitting alongside the recently renovated Millers Dale Station goods shed. The CPT has an accessible peninsula toilet, a height adjustable changing bench, and a ceiling hoist – electrically operated for ease of use by family, friends or carers.
It has been funded by a range of regional and national partners including the Peak District National Park Foundation, Accessible UK, Muscular Dystrophy UK, and the Peak District National Park Authority in partnership with High Peak Borough Council through the Department for Housing, Communities and Levelling Up.
People need a RADAR key to access the facility. These are available to buy widely including from visitor centres and online, allowing access to facilities nationwide.
The development at Millers Dale’s old station also includes disabled access to the former goods shed and platforms, which are ideal for picnics or a visit to the café, with easy access onto the Monsal Trail, which historically carried trains between Manchester and London. The Millers Dale visitor hub and 8.5-mile trail, which runs between Blackwell Mill and Bakewell, are owned and managed by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA).
Phil Mulligan, PDNPA chief executive, said: "We have created a disability-friendly site to help make a difference and we look forward to welcoming more of the disabled community who want to explore the National Park. And with that in mind, once we have secured funding, we are planning to install another CPT at Parsley Hay soon."
Gillian Scotford, director of Accessible UK, said: “Standard accessible loos meet the needs of some disabled people but not all – imagine what it is like if you have to change the person you are caring for on a toilet floor of a public toilet... Thankfully Changing Places Toilets are designed for people with complex care needs who need carer support. The extra facilities they provide open up possibilities for people who need them to go out and enjoy the countryside with their family and friends instead of having to stay at home. They are literally changing lives."
Gillian’s son Sam, who has autism and learning difficulties, and her mum Hilary, who sometimes needs to use a wheelchair, are delighted with the new facility. They said: "This is fantastic – it makes it possible for us to enjoy the National Park together as a family and experience the wonders of the Monsal Trail that people without access needs can sometimes take for granted."
A virtual tour of the new CPT with Accessible UK’s Gillian Scotford can be viewed online along with further information about visiting the Monsal Trail and other accessible opportunities in the Peak District National Park.