Spalding station toilets set for £100,000 accessibility upgrade with new audio guidance

Spalding station is to receive refurbished toilet facilities as part of an East Midlands Railway investment of around £100,000 aimed at making station facilities more accessible to blind and partially sighted passengers.

The work is being carried out at five EMR stations: Spalding, Sleaford, Beeston, Newark Castle and Kettering. EMR said the programme forms part of wider station improvements, with the refurbishment work expected to be completed later this winter.

How the Spalding upgrade will help passengers

At Spalding, the universal toilet, which is used by both general and accessible users, will be refurbished. The same type of facility will also be upgraded at Sleaford, Beeston and Newark Castle.

The stations will also receive RoomMate audio technology. The system is designed to give blind and partially sighted visitors a spoken description of an accessible toilet, helping them form a mental picture of the room and move around it with greater confidence.

EMR said the wall-mounted device activates when someone enters the toilet. It announces that an audio description is available and gives simple instructions on how to start it with a wave of the hand.

The guide begins with an overview of the room before repeating the information in a sequence intended to guide the user around the space. After the first announcement, the unit gives four audible pings to help users find it. Its volume can be adjusted for background noise, and the system can be reprogrammed on site if the room’s layout or features change in the future.

Station improvements shaped by lived experience

EMR said it decided to install the technology after working with a member of its local Sight Loss Council. These regional groups are led by blind and partially sighted volunteers who use their own experience to help shape services and make accessibility a priority in their communities.

Philippa Cresswell, EMR’s customer experience director, said the investment was intended to make the stations “more welcoming, accessible and comfortable” for customers. She added that the changes were about more than refurbishing the facilities and removing barriers to travel.

“Accessibility is an important part of this investment. The introduction of RoomMate technology will give blind and partially sighted customers greater independence and confidence when using accessible toilet facilities, providing an audio description of the space and helping them navigate it more easily.”

Matt Harrison, engagement manager for the East Midlands at Thomas Pocklington Trust, said unfamiliar facilities could be a real challenge for people who are blind or partially sighted. He said the RoomMate description would provide additional information and help encourage independent travel, particularly when using unstaffed stations.

“Most people probably take for granted using unfamiliar facilities, but this can be a real challenge for those who are blind or partially sighted. Having RoomMate describe a room’s layout provides that extra layer of information and helps encourage independent travel, especially when using unstaffed stations.”

Harrison also said the two local Sight Loss Councils had developed a strong relationship with EMR, describing the project as an example of how listening to people with lived experience can improve rail accessibility.

Stoma-friendly standards included

All five refurbished facilities will follow Colostomy UK’s Stoma Friendly Toilet guidelines, supporting passengers with additional accessibility needs.

At Kettering, the accessible toilet and a separate baby-change space will both be refurbished. The reconfigured baby-change facility will also provide a private space for nursing mothers. That part of the scheme does not apply to the Spalding works, which concern the station’s universal toilet.

Sarah White, managing director at easyAccessibility, said the company was working with EMR to support more independent and inclusive rail travel for blind and partially sighted passengers.

“Accessibility is about more than providing information; it’s about giving people the freedom to travel on their own terms.”

East Midlands Railway, which is operated by Transport UK, said the upgrades were intended to benefit the thousands of customers who use its stations every day. The work at Spalding and the four other stations is expected to be completed later in the winter following the 6 October 2026 announcement.