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Common Rooms - SCR

Fitzwilliam College, Storey's Way , Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB3 0DG

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Access Guide

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Getting To and Around Fitzwilliam College

  • Arriving By Car or Bike View
    • Fitzwilliam College is on the north-west side of Cambridge, between Huntingdon Road and Storey's Way and it can be accessed from both roads. The main entrance is located on Storey's Way.
    • Fitzwilliam College has two car parks, one at the main (south) entrance on Storey's Way, the other on Huntingdon Road (north entrance). If you are a visitor and wish to use the car park please report to the Porters' Lodge on Storey's Way. If you are a conference guest you must speak to your conference organizer. In addition, on-street car parking is available along Storey's Way by the College entrance. Students are generally not permitted to use cars in the immediate locality unless given permission based on specific requirements.
    • Cycling is a popular form of transport in Cambridge. The city is relatively flat and there is an extensive network of cycle routes. The College has plenty of on-site storage for bicycles, including to the rear of Blocks A-D and next to the Porters' Lodge.
    • For more information on getting to Fitzwilliam College please click here (opens new tab).
    • For more information on cycle routes and maps in Cambridge please click here (opens new tab).
  • By Bus View
  • By Train View
  • Accessing the College Site View
    • The main (south) entrance to the College site is located at the south side of the College site off Storey’s Way. Access is to the right of the Porters’ Lodge and through a foyer out to Gatehouse Court. The first door is level, with a slightly raised threshold, and opens automatically with a key card (Photographs 1 and 2). The width of the door opening is 96cm and the height of the car reader is 104cm. The second door to exit, at the rear of the foyer, is power assisted and opens away from you (Photograph 3). The opening width of the door is 93cm. After exiting the foyer there is a sloped path with a slight upwards gradient leading out to Gatehouse Court (Photograph 4).
    • Alternative pedestrian access to the site, for key card holders, is via the north entrance which is located off Huntingdon Road next to the main car park (Photograph 5). Access to this entrance is via ramp or steps to either side (the ramps can be used to bypass the steps). The ramp to the right of the entrance has an easier gradient (Photograph 6). There are 2 steps to the right of the entrance and 4 steps to the left. Both sets have handrails on both sides (Photographs 7 and 8). There are 2 sets of doors at this entrance (Photographs 9 and 10). The first door is key card activated and opens automatically towards you. The width of the door opening 88cm and the height of the card reader is 92cm. There is also an intercom system at a height of 110cm. The second door opens automatically away from you and has an opening width of 84cm. This entrance gives access to the site through D Block next to Tree Court.
  • Getting Around the College Site View
    • The external areas of the College site have an extensive network of paths. The paths mostly have a flagstone paving surface which may be slightly uneven in places (Photographs 11 to 19). The access road to the rear of Blocks J to S has a tarmac surface (Photograph 20) and the walkways around Fellows' Court are tiled (Photograph 21). The site is mostly quite flat, however, there are some stepped and sloped sections along the paths. Steps can be bypassed by taking alternative routes. There are bench seats for resting throughout the College site.
    • The width of paths does vary, many are wide (150cm+) but there are some narrower sections such as past the Chapel (80cm - Photograph 22) and between Wilson Court and The Grove (100cm). The garden area in the central area of the College site is accessed via 7 unmarked steps from the Hall Building (Photograph 23) or 5 unmarked steps from the Chapel (Photograph 24), however, these steps can be avoided by accessing the garden from the path leading from The Grove. The steps do not have handrails. Paths to and around the garden have a gravel, loose bark or grass surface (Photographs 25 and 26).
    • There are some steep gradients on some sections of the paths such as; outside the Auditorium, to the rear of The Grove (Photograph 27), past the Library, outside Block L (Photograph 28) and leading down to the Hall Building in Tree Court. Stepped sections between The Grove and the Hall Building and outside Block L can be bypassed using these steeper paths.
  • Additional College Site Information View
    • Many of the buildings at Fitzwilliam College have step-free access into them although some of the accommodation buildings have stepped access. Please see our Detailed Access Guides for further information on access to buildings.
    • There is extensive directional signage around the College site which makes navigation easier for those unfamiliar with the layout (Photographs 29 to 31). The signage is consistent and clearly presented with good colour contrast. Accessible toilet facilities are located in the main (south) entrance foyer, the Hall Building, Wilson Court and the Auditorium.

Useful Information

Site/Campus Car Park (South Car Park)

  • Car Park View
    • The car park is located at the front of the College site, off Storey's Way.
    • The nearest building(s) to this car park is/are the Porters' Lodge and the Gatehouse.
    • The car park type is open air/surface.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park surface is loose chippings.
    • Designated Blue Badge parking bays are available.
    • There is/are 2 designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) within this car park.
    • The dimensions of the designated parking bay(s) are 319cm x 432cm.
    • The Blue Badge parking bays have a marked zone only at the rear.
    • The marked zone is 71cm wide.
  • Charges and Restrictions View
    • This car park can be used by staff, visitors and Blue Badge holders.
    • There are no parking charges that apply on the day.
  • Drop Off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop off point in this car park.
  • Car Park Access View
    • There is step free access from this car park.
    • Buildings are not clearly signposted from this car park.
    • There is not a campus map available within the car park.
    • The nearest designated bay is 17m (18yd 1ft) from the South/Main Entrance.
    • Of the two blue bade bays one is clearly marked and signposted and the other is just signposted. The path leading to the South/Main Entrance from the car park is 125cm wide (Photographs 17 and 18).
      There is an area off this car park specifically for Fellows' parking. There are two electric vehicle charging available in the car park.

Site/Campus Car Park (North Car Park)

  • Car Park View
    • The car park is located at the rear of the College, off Huntingdon Road.
    • The car park type is open air/surface.
    • The car park does not have a height restriction barrier.
    • The car park surface is tarmac.
    • Designated Blue Badge parking bays are available.
    • The Blue Badge bay(s) is/are clearly marked.
    • There is/are 2 designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) within this car park.
    • The dimensions of the designated parking bay(s) are 240cm x 480cm.
    • The marked zone is 130cm wide.
    • The dimensions of the designated bays do not vary in size.
  • Charges and Restrictions View
    • This car park can be used by staff and visitors.
  • Drop Off Point View
    • There is not a designated drop off point in this car park.
  • Car Park Access View
    • There is step free access from this car park.
    • Buildings are not clearly signposted from this car park.
    • There is not a campus map available within the car park.
    • Of the two blue badge bays one has hatched marking on either side and the other on both sides. There are four electric vehicle charging bays available within the car park as shown in photographs 8 and 9.

Getting To (The Common Rooms - SCR)

Approach (The Grove Main Entrance)

  • Approach View
    • The surface of the approach is block paving.
    • The approach surface is uneven in places.
    • There is step-free access on the approach.
    • There is a slope with a very easy incline.
  • Comments View
    • There is block paving along the paths to the front of the entrance where the width of the path is restricted to 120cm and to the left of the entrance where the width of the path is restricted to 140cm.
    • To the right of the entrance is a loose gravel path with a width of 128cm (Photograph 3).

Outside Access (The Grove Main Entrance)

  • Entrance View
    • This information is for the entrance located at the front of the building.
    • This entrance gives access to the Dean's office area on the ground floor.
    • The entrance area/door is not clearly signed.
    • There is ramped/sloped and stepped access at this entrance.
    • There is not a canopy or recess which provides weather protection at this entrance.
    • The entrance door(s) does/do contrast visually with its immediate surroundings.
    • There is not a bell/buzzer.
    • There is not an intercom.
    • A key fob is required for access at this entrance.
    • The height of the key fob reader is 120cm.
    • The main door(s) open(s) away from you (push).
    • The door(s) is/are single width.
    • The door(s) is/are heavy.
    • The width of the door opening is 120cm.
  • Ramp/Slope View
    • The ramp/slope is located in front of the entrance.
    • The gradient of the ramp/slope is slight.
    • The ramp/slope is permanent.
    • There is not a level landing at the top of the ramp/slope.
    • The ramp/slope does not bypass the step(s).
  • Step(s) View
    • The step(s) is/are located at the base of the entrance.
    • There is/are 1 step(s).
    • The step(s) is/are not clearly marked.
    • The height of the step(s) is/are not between 15cm and 18cm.
    • The height of the step(s) is/are 4cm.
    • There is not a/are not handrail(s) at the step(s).

Meeting Room(s) (Stapleton Room)

  • Signage for the room(s) is available in upper and lower case lettering that is clearly visible on or near the door.
  • The corridor outside the room(s) is sufficiently wide enough (150cm+) to allow wheelchair users to pass.
  • There is step free access into the room(s) from the corridor.
  • The door opening width(s) is/are 75cm+ for the room(s).
  • The door(s) for the room(s) is/are not push pad activated.
  • There is not a hearing assistance system for the room(s).
  • There is not a visual fire alarm beacon in the room(s).
  • There is not fixed furniture within the room(s).
  • The clear floor space beneath tables in the room(s) is 71cm.
  • A height adjustable table/bench is not available.
  • There is a/are chair(s) with armrests on both sides within the room(s).
  • The room does have an unobstructed minimum turning space of 150cm x 150cm.
  • Floor coverings in the room(s) are not even.
  • The fireplace serves as a trip hazard (Photograph 8). There are coffee tables in the room at heights of between 49 and 54cm.

Meeting Room(s) (Senior Combination Room)

  • Signage for the room(s) is available in upper and lower case lettering that is clearly visible on or near the door.
  • The corridor outside the room(s) is sufficiently wide enough (150cm+) to allow wheelchair users to pass.
  • There is step free access into the room(s) from the corridor.
  • The door opening width(s) is/are 75cm+ for the room(s).
  • The door(s) for the room(s) is/are not push pad activated.
  • There is not a hearing assistance system for the room(s).
  • There is not a visual fire alarm beacon in the room(s).
  • There is not fixed furniture within the room(s).
  • The clear floor space beneath tables in the room(s) is 70cm.
  • A height adjustable table/bench is not available.
  • There is a/are chair(s) with armrests on both sides within the room(s).
  • The room does have an unobstructed minimum turning space of 150cm x 150cm.
  • Floor coverings in the room(s) are not even.
  • The SCR consists of two rooms, each of which have a separate entrance (Photographs 1, 2) and 3. The part of the SCR located through the door to the right can be seen in photographs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8). The part of the SCR through the door to the left can be seen in photographs 9, 10 11 and 12). There are coffee tables in the left part of the SCR with heights between 49cm and 54cm. There are fireplaces which serve as trip hazards (Photograph 8 and 12). These two rooms are linked by a pair of heavy manual double doors (Photographs 13 and 14).

Accessible Toilet(s)

  • There is not an/are not accessible toilet(s) available.
  • The nearest accessible toilet(s) is/are located to the rear of the MCR area on the ground floor.

Standard Toilet(s)

  • Standard toilet facilities are available.
  • Toilet Facilities View
    • The gender neutral toilet is located to the left after you enter.
    • There is step-free access into the toilet(s).
    • The standard toilet(s) is/are approximately 8m from the main entrance.
    • The colour contrast between the external toilet door(s) and wall(s) is poor.
    • There is pictorial and written text signage on or near the toilet door.
    • An ambulant toilet cubicle is not available.
    • The height of the wash basin(s) is 88cm.
    • The wash basin(s) tap type is twist/turn.
    • Lighting levels are good.
    • The width of the toilet door is 55cm.