Reading becomes the latest Network Rail station to join Stoma Friendly toilets campaign.

25 June, 2024

Network Rail and Colostomy UK are delighted to announce that Reading Station has followed several major stations including Paddington, Leeds, and Liverpool Street in offering Stoma Friendly facilities following upgrades to  accessible toilets at the station.

Reading station is one of the busiest rail hubs in Britain, used by nearly 20 million passengers a year. It’s the second busiest interchange station outside of London, second only to Birmingham New Street, with nearly four million passengers a year changing trains at the station.

Reading underwent a phase of major transformation from 2009, adding five new platforms, new retail facilities and a new footbridge three times the size of the original, with escalators and lifts providing step-free access to all platforms.

The station was officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen in July 2014, after being completed a year ahead of schedule.

Over 200,000 people in the UK are living with stomas, and accessible toilets often don’t include features that allow people to change their stoma bag in a safe and clean environment or that make the process easy. The accessible toilets at Reading Station are Stoma Friendly because they include the following:

• Hooks to hang personal belongings,
• Shelves to provide a clean surface where people can put their medical supplies,
• A bin inside the cubicle to dispose of used stoma bags discretely, and
• A full-length mirror which enables people to view their stoma while changing their bag.

Signage on the door reminds people that not all disabilities are visible, which has been shown to reduce any hostility towards those who are using accessible facilities with a hidden disability.

Bernadette Sachse, Network Rail Station Manager Reading and Bristol Temple Meads – Western Route commented on the upgrades.

“We are pleased to be able to offer a Stoma Friendly facility within Reading Station as part of our commitment to providing accessible facilities for all while travelling by rail.  We hope to be able to give more passengers the confidence to travel no matter what their needs are”

Giovanni Cinque, Marketing and Campaign Manager at Colostomy UK, said:

“We’re delighted that Reading has become the latest Network Rail managed station to offer Stoma Friendly toilets. We’re sure this will encourage people living with a stoma to travel via Reading, safe in the knowledge that if they need to use an accessible toilet there is one that will meet their needs. We look forward to working with Network Rail to increase the number of stations that include the same facilities”.