Accessibility and Inclusivity
Leeds is a great city to host an event with an abundance of accessible venues. We want everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy all our city has to offer. Here’s a guide with information and links to help plan an accessible and inclusive event.
Travel planning tools
For free, impartial advice for accessible travel solutions visit the Hubs Mobility Advice Service.
Leeds City Centre train station, is in the heart of the city centre. Its accessibility features include:
- Step-free access throughout the station, with lifts to all platforms.
- Passenger Assistance
- Accessible toilets, waiting rooms, and seating areas.
- A ramp for train access
Staff assistance is available 24 hours a day, and can be requested in advance of your journey. Full details of accessibility at Bristol Temple Meads can be found on the National Rail website.
Useful links for travelling to Leeds by Train
- National Rail train and station accessibility here
National Rail accessible travel and facilities information - National Rail passenger assist information and Passenger Assistance App
- National Rail Find a Station service
- National Rail Interactive Access Map
Train providers are Northern, Cross Country, East Midlands, LNER and TrannsPennine. All of these train operators provide assistance. You can find details about accessibility on the individual transport providers’ websites.
Staff assistance is available 24 hours a day, and can be requested in advance of your journey. Full details of accessibility at Bristol Temple Meads can be found on the National Rail website.
Our accessible position on the UK motorway network makes reaching Leeds by road simple. The M621 runs close to the city, providing direct access to the M1 and M62 and the A1 is accessible to the north of the city centre. Leeds is within comfortable driving times of most regions in the UK. For details of car parking in Leeds, view our Blue Badge Parking Map. Three park and ride services operate in Leeds at Stourton, Temple Green and Elland Road.
Getting around Leeds
Leeds is a compact and walkable city, with conference venues and accommodation all within easy reach and many without the need for transport. There are plenty of wheelchair accessible routes to get you where you need to go, and places to stop and rest should you need to. Creating an improved experience for pedestrians and cyclists goes hand in hand with making space for people to have a memorable conference and enjoy the fantastic range of social and delegate experience that the city has to offer.
Alongside accessible toilets, Leeds also offers a number of changing places to cater to all accessibility needs. You can find out more information and see where these are located on the Changing Places website.
Leeds’ fleet of electric buses is an accessible way to get around the city centre and beyond. As well as all the space you need, you’ll find clear audio and visual next stop announcements, wi-fi for any essential devices, and app-based tickets so you can plan in advance. To make your trip to Leeds even more convenient, three Park & Ride sites currently operate in Leeds complete with electric vehicle charging points.
An accessible taxi service is available from Veezu who can be contacted on 0113 269 1558.
Accessible Venues
Our very compact and walkable city centre is ideal for wheelchairs and easy access to venues. Cloth Hall Court located opposite the train station is part of AccessAble and offers a step-free access and ample room for a wheelchair user throughout the building. The Royal Armouries located by Leeds Dock is also a great accessible venue and is committed to providing access to all. Their staff are trained to provide assistance to visitors with limited mobility as well as other disabilities or needs. In addition, there is no fixed seating at the Royal Armouries, therefore wheelchair spaces can be positioned anywhere in the meeting rooms. The Hilton Leeds City is another great addition to the AccessAble guide and offers fixed hearing assistance systems in some of the conference areas, and the hotel is easily accessible via the various lifts.
Accommodation
But what about your accommodation? Often, staying somewhere new can be fraught with uncertainty, especially when you need specific accessibility features or requirements that you don’t have to think about at home. In Leeds you can rest easy, literally, because the city has a wealth of accessible accommodation right in the heart of the city.
From iconic four-star hotel, The Queens, which offers accessible rooms and wheelchair access to public areas including the bar, restaurant and bedrooms, to Radisson Blu consisting of seven accessible rooms, two of which have walk-in showers, whilst loading bays and portable ramps are available for disabled access, there’s a wealth of accommodation to choose from.
We recommend also using Euan’s Guide for individual reviews of venues, restaurants and so on.
Love Leeds for Longer
Few other places offer the energy of a European city with such a choice of idyllic countryside, dramatic landscapes and open skies. Combine world-class food and drink, shopping, entertainment and a vibrant nightlife with days exploring picturesque towns and villages, dramatic landscapes and rolling countryside.