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Hospital Parking Guide

Royal Victoria Hospital, 274 Grosvenor Road, Belfast, BT12 6BA

Access Guide

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Getting To The Hospital

  • By Road View
    • Turn off the M1/A12 and follow the signs for the Royal Victoria Hospital.
      After leaving the large roundabout, turn right and continue along the road for approximately 1 mile.
      The main hospital car park will then be observed on the left.
  • By Bus View
    • The 646a Metro bus service runs from Belfast Grand Central Station to the hospital Monday - Friday.
    • The G1 Glider service runs from Belfast City Centre to the Falls Road.
    • If alighting at the Glider bus stop you may have to walk down Grosvenor Road to get into the hospital via the main entrance, if the Falls Road entrance is locked.
    • There is an onsite bus stop.
    • The nearest bus stop is located along the road from the main hospital entrance.
    • The bus stop has a sheltered waiting area with backless bench seating and sufficient space for a wheelchair user to wait.
    • The onsite bus stop is approximately 140 metres from the main hospital entrance.
      The route from the bus stop is level. Some of the route is sheltered.
      There are some access roads to cross all with dropped kerbs and tactile paving.
  • By Train View
    • The nearest railway station is Belfast Grand Central Station, located approximately 0.6 miles away on Grosvenor Road.
  • Useful Links View

Getting Help and Assistance

  • To see the hospital map please click here (opens new tab).
  • There is a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) at the hospital.
  • The telephone number for the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is 028 96 157 777 / 028 90 240 503.
  • There are volunteers available for help and assistance at the hospital.
  • Volunteers can be found in the main foyer of the hospital, adjacent to the main reception area.
  • Documents are available in an alternative format and can be provided to include: Braille on request, large print on request, different languages on request, voice recognition CD on request and audio on request.
  • There is not an assistance dog toilet or toileting area on the hospital site.
  • Water bowls for assistance dogs are available on request.
  • BSL interpreters can be provided on request.
  • Language interpreters can be provided on request.
  • Language interpreters can be provided in the following languages; Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese - Cantonese, Chinese - Hakka, Chinese - Mandarin, Czech, Estonian, Farsi, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Kurdish Kurmanji, Kurdish Sorani, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malayalam, Moldovan, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tetum, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu.
  • A mobility scooter charging point is not available at the hospital.
  • Mobility aids are available to help patients move around and include; wheelchairs, motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooter.
  • To obtain mobility aids please contact Shopmobility on 028 9080 8090.

Getting To (New Building Foyer from Multi-Storey Car Park)

  • The new building foyer is/are located just inside the new building of the main hospital.
  • Access to the new building foyer is via the underpass entrance.
  • Starting on the lower level of the car park, with the lift behind you, proceed through the open-air Blue Badge parking area then under the foot bridge.
    After passing under the footbridge, bear left and the entrance to the underpass will be ahead.
    Go through the underpass and another set of doors.
    Facing you will be a staircase and a lift, both of which will take you to the main foyer of the new hospital building.
  • There is ramped/sloped access to the new building foyer.
  • The new building foyer is approximately 152m from the new building underpass entrance.
  • There are not resting areas along the route.
  • Wayfinding signage is provided.
  • Dementia friendly signage is not provided.

Outside Access (Underpass Entrance from Car Park)

  • Entrance Details View
    • This information is for the entrance located on the car park side of the underpass.
    • The entrance area/door is clearly signed.
    • There is step free access at this entrance.
    • There is a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance.
    • The entrance door(s) does not/do not contrast visually with its immediate surroundings.
    • There is an intercom.
    • The height of the intercom is 130cm (4ft 3in).
    • There is not a hand sanitiser.
    • There is not a door release button when exiting.
    • The main door(s) open(s) automatically.
    • The door(s) is/are double width.
    • The width of the door opening is 147cm.
    • There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance, with a height of 1.5cm or below.
    • There is a second set of doors.
    • The door(s) open(s) automatically.
    • The door(s) is/are double width.
    • The width of the door opening is 144cm.
  • Comments View
    • There is a slope between the first and second entrance doors, however this is very slight.

Hospital Parking (Main Entrance - Blue Badge Parking and Drop Off Point)

  • Parking View
    • The hospital does have a dedicated car park.
    • The car parking facilities are for Blue Badge holders only.
    • The car park is located directly opposite the main entrance of the new building.
    • The car park type is open air/surface.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park does have a barrier control system.
    • The car park surface is tarmac.
    • There is a/are Blue Badge parking bay(s) available.
    • The Blue Badge bay(s) markings are faded.
    • There is/are 4 designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) within the hospital car park.
    • The dimensions of the designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) surveyed are 270cm x 720cm (8ft 10in x 23ft 7in).
    • There is not a 120cm hatched zone around the Blue Badge parking bay(s).
    • Parking spaces for Blue Badge holders do not need to be booked in advance.
  • Drop-off Point View
    • There is a designated drop-off point.
    • The drop-off point is located directly in front of the new building hospital entrance.
    • There is not a dropped kerb from the drop-off point.
  • Paying View
    • There are not parking charges for the hospital car park.
  • Access to the Hospital View
    • The route from the car park to the entrance is accessible to a wheelchair user unaided.
    • The hospital entrance is clearly visible from the car park.
    • The nearest designated Blue Badge parking bay is approximately 11m (12yd 1in) from the new building main accessible entrance.

Hospital Parking (Multi Storey Car Park)

  • Parking View
    • The hospital does have a dedicated car park.
    • The car park is located across the road from the main hospital entrance.
    • The car park type is multi storey.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park does have a barrier control system.
    • There is a push button control at the barrier.
    • The barrier controls/touchscreen can be reached from the car.
    • The car park surface is tarmac.
    • There is a/are Blue Badge parking bay(s) available.
    • The Blue Badge bay(s) is/are clearly marked.
    • There is/are 10+ designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) within the hospital car park.
    • The dimensions of the designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) surveyed are 240cm x 469cm (7ft 10in x 15ft 5in).
    • There is not a 120cm hatched zone around the Blue Badge parking bay(s).
    • Parking spaces for Blue Badge holders do not need to be booked in advance.
  • Drop-off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop-off point.
  • Paying View
    • There are parking charges for the hospital car park.
    • Payment signs are provided.
    • Payment signs are clearly presented.
    • Payment signs are located at the entrance to the car park and at the payment machines in the car park.
    • Payment signs do make it clear if parking charges apply to Blue Badge holders.
    • Parking is not free for Blue Badge holders.
    • Payment machines are located throughout the car park.
    • There is not a payment machine at a convenient height for wheelchair users.
  • Access to the Hospital View
    • The route from the car park to the entrance is accessible to a wheelchair user with assistance.
    • Assistance may be required because there is/are slopes/ramps.
    • The hospital entrance is clearly visible from the car park.
    • The nearest designated Blue Badge parking bay is approximately 54m (59yd 2in) from the hospital underpass entrance.
  • Comments View
    • The car park is part multi storey and part open-air.
    • The height of the pay station controls range from 64cm to 170cm.
    • The best way of accessing the hospital from the car park is via an underpass that goes under the road and allows direct access to the hospital via stairs or lift.
    • Parking charges for visitors are as follows:
    • 0-4hrs - £1.60
    • 4-6hrs - £2.50
    • 6-24hrs - £5.00.

Entrance (Multi Storey Car Park - Upper Level Entrance)

  • Entrance Details View
    • This information is for the entrance located on the road opposite the main hospital entrance.
    • The entrance area/door is clearly signed with the name of the service/department.
    • There is ramped/sloped or stepped access at this entrance.
    • There are no doors at this entrance.
    • The width of the door opening is 192cm.
  • Ramp/Slope Details View
    • The ramp/slope is located as you approach the car park entrance from the road.
    • The ramp/slope gradient is slight.
    • The ramp/slope is permanent.
    • There is a level landing at the top of the ramp/slope.
    • There is a/are handrail(s) at the ramp.
    • The handrail(s) is/are on both sides going up the ramp.
    • The ramp/slope does bypass the step(s).
  • Step Details View
    • The step(s) is/are located just off the road opposite the hospital.
    • There is/are 6 step(s).
    • The step(s) is/are not clearly marked.
    • The step(s) is/are medium height (11cm - 17cm).
    • There is a/are handrail(s) at the step(s).
    • The handrail(s) is/are on both sides going up the step(s).

Counter (Multi Storey Car Park)

  • The Car Park counter is located on the upper level of the multi storey car park.
  • The counter is approximately 18m (19yd 2ft) from the upper level car park entrance.
  • The counter is clearly visible from the entrance.
  • There is step free access to the counter.
  • There is a clear unobstructed route to the counter.
  • There are windows, glazed screens or mirrors behind the counter which could adversely affect the ability of someone to lip read.
  • The counter is not placed in front of a background which is patterned.
  • The lighting levels at the counter are varied.
  • The height of the counter is high (110cm+).
  • There is sufficient space to write or sign documents on the counter.
  • There is not a low section of the counter (76cm or below) available.
  • The counter is staffed.
  • There is not a hearing assistance system.

Lift (Multi Storey Car Park - Lower to Upper Level)

  • There is a lift for public use.
  • The lift is located in the middle of the lower level of the car park near the staircase.
  • Signs indicating the location of this lift are not clearly visible from the entrance.
  • The lift is approximately 110m (120yd 11in) from the underpass hospital entrance.
  • The lift is a standard lift.
  • Staff do not need to be notified for use of the lift.
  • The floors which are accessible by this lift are lower and upper levels.
  • Clear signs indicating the facilities on each floor are not provided on lift lobby landings.
  • There is a clear level manoeuvring space of 150cm × 150cm in front of the lift.
  • Lift doors do not contrast visually with lift lobby walls.
  • The external controls for the lift are within 90cm - 110cm from the floor.
  • The visual contrast between the external lift controls and the control plate is medium.
  • The visual contrast between the external lift control plate and the wall is medium.
  • The clear door width is 77cm (2ft 6in).
  • The dimensions of the lift are 103cm x 210cm (3ft 5in x 6ft 11in).
  • There are not separate entry and exit doors in the lift.
  • There is not a mirror to aid reversing out of the lift.
  • There is not a list of floor services available within the lift.
  • The lift does have a visual floor indicator.
  • The lift does have an audible announcer.
  • The internal controls for the lift are within 90cm - 120cm from the floor.
  • There is not a hearing assistance system.
  • The lift does not have Braille markings.
  • The lift does have tactile markings.
  • The lighting level in the lift is moderate to good.

Other Floors (Lower to Upper Level Staircase)

  • Stairs View
    • Signs indicating the location of the stairs are not clearly visible from the entrance.
    • The floors which are accessible by stairs are lower and upper levels.
    • There are 15+ steps between floors.
    • The height of the step(s) is/are between the recommended 15cm and 18cm.
    • The depth of the step(s) is/are between the recommended 30cm and 45cm.
    • The steps are clearly marked.
    • The steps do have handrails.
    • The steps have a handrail on both sides.
    • Handrails are at the recommended height (90cm-100cm).
    • Handrails do cover the flight of stairs throughout its length.
    • Handrails are easy to grip.
    • Handrails do not extend horizontally beyond the first and last steps.
    • There is a landing.
    • Clear signs indicating the facilities on each floor of the building are not provided on landings.

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