We're excited to welcome you to our fantastic historic city, and assist with any queries you may have. Many venues and services in Colchester are equipped to support visitors with disabilities or impairments and are happy to assist visitors in any way possible. Contact the Colchester Visitor Information Centre for more information on planning your stay in Colchester or contact the venue or service directly.
AccessAble, a national website, is a useful guide for finding accessibility information for various attractions, shops, accommodation and services. There are plenty of award-winning attractions and restaurants to enjoy once you arrive in the city, with information about Accessible Attractions and Accessible Accommodation on the VisitColchester website.
Accessible Parking and Transport
There are many options for accessible parking in Colchester for Blue Badge holders. Blue Badge holders can park for free for up to 3 hours in all Colchester City Council car parks, and in the Blue Badge parking bays located in the City Centre. Blue Badge discs with the arrival time must be shown at all times.
The Colchester Park and Ride is also accessible, with 29 disabled parking spaces available. If you have a disability pass, you will need to show the driver your pass when you board the bus. The concession rate for parking is £1.50 before 9am, or free after 9am. Accessibility information for services from third party transport providers can be found on the 'Accessible Transport and Parking' page.
Accessible Toilets
In the city centre, there are 2 changing place toilets and numerous public accessible toilets.
There is a Changing Places facility located conveniently behind the Cafe in the Park, which is located in Castle Park. To gain access to this facility you are required to complete an on-line application form to apply for an entrance code. It can take up to 5 working days to receive the access information, so please allow plenty of time before your visit. Full guidance and an application form can be found on Colchester Council's website.
Most disabled toilets in the city are fitted with Radar Locks; these can be purchased online, at the Visitor Information Centre or at other local partners based on availability. Many attractions and venues outside of the City Centre have accessible facilities; it is recommended to contact these venues directly to discuss your accessibility needs. Please visit our Accessible Toilets page for more information.
Getting Around Colchester
If you have not visited Colchester before, it may be helpful to know that Colchester is situated on a hill that runs from North to South, and from West to East across the city centre. This means that some of the routes within the centre are quite steep, including North Hill which runs south from Colchester's main train station - Colchester North Station - and is 1 mile from the city centre. Wheelchair users arriving by train are therefore advised to call a taxi to get to the city centre.
Some of the streets in the historic parts of the city can be rather narrow and cobbled which means that they can become quite congested. Please contact the Colchester Visitor Information Centre for more information on planning your stay, and the friendly team will be happy to provide you with more information.
Dietary Requirements
Colchester has plenty of great and tasty options for those with dietary restrictions, including allergies. Visit our Dietary Requirements page for more information, including local venues that cater to specific diets - like vegan and vegetarian diets, and gluten free diets - and those with allergies. We'd recommend reaching out to local venues to discuss more complex dietary requirements in advance to ensure you can have the best experience.
