Today, it is the third busiest, with 57.8m entries and exits last year. As a major gateway to the capital, the station handles commuters from south-west London and Surrey, as well as long-distance services from Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth, Weymouth and Exeter. The size of the station posed challenges, but Network Rail responded to these by signposting to quieter routes.
In future, the station team will ensure all staff receive autism training, while sharing their experiences in making the station autism friendly across the region.
Emily Haggard, Station Manager for Waterloo, said: “I am delighted that we have taken this step to be accredited by the National Autistic Society with the Autism Friendly Award. There are approximately 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK, as well as their three million family members and carers. Without the right support or understanding, autistic people can become extremely isolated. We take pride in putting passengers first and taking simple steps, such as informing station visitors when the quieter times are and training our staff on looking after autistic passengers. We want the railway to be accessible for everyone, and for everyone to get home safe every day. While this is a positive step, we know we can do more to make the station even more accessible for everyone.”
Christine Flintoft-Smith, Head of Autism Accreditation and Projects at our charity, said: “Network Rail at Waterloo Station should be exceptionally proud of their achievement. There are lots of small changes that businesses can make to better support autistic people, and just a little understanding can go a long way. We’re looking forward to working with as many businesses as possible to help create a society that works for autistic people.
