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Union Square - College Street Car Park

Guild Square, Aberdeen, AB11 5RG

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Access Guide

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Getting Here

  • By Road View
    • Union Square is located in the centre of Aberdeen off South College Street, Guild Street, Market Street or Palmerston Road.
    • There are 3 car parks at Union Square offering you a total of 1700 car parking spaces. Union Square car parks are easily accessible from Market Street, Palmerston Road and College Street.
      All car parks are open 24 hours a day. The car parks are Pay and Display, with an automatic number plate recognition system in place to monitor payment.
      If you have any problems, there are help points located throughout the car park or call us on 01224 254 326 and someone will be happy to help.
      Our car parks are all monitored by CCTV and contain dedicated disabled and parent and child spaces.
      Our Multi-Storey car park also has charging points for electric vehicles. The 8 electric car charging points are available on Level 1 of the multi-storey car park. To operate these simply open the cover and plug in. There is no cost for this service.
  • By Bus View
    • There is a bus stop within 150 metres of the shopping centre.
    • Union Square is conveniently located adjacent to Aberdeen Bus Station and close to most major bus routes through Aberdeen City Centre.
      Aberdeen bound Stagecoach Bluebird buses all call at the bus station which is joined to the Union Square building.
      Local Aberdeen City buses are operated by First Aberdeen and services 3, 3G, 5, 12 and 27 stop on Guild Street outside St Magnus House.
  • By Train View
    • The nearest Railway Station is Aberdeen.
    • Union Square connects to Aberdeen Station through the doorways in the main atrium.
      Aberdeen has train services linking directly with Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness and also with London and many other destinations across England.
      The train also provides a direct link for people living in Aberdeenshire with services available from Dyce, Inverurie, Insch, Huntly, Portlethen, Stonehaven and Laurencekirk.
    • For more information on National Rail services please click here (opens new tab).

Getting Help and Assistance

  • There is not a member of staff trained in British Sign Language. Please phone the venue in advance for more information
  • British Sign Language interpreters cannot be provided on request.
  • There is not an assistance dog toilet or toileting area at the venue/nearby.
  • The venue offers a quiet shopping experience.
  • A quiet shopping/Autism hour occurs every Sunday 11:00-12:00.
  • Water bowls for assistance dogs are available.
  • There are mobility aids available.
  • The mobility aids available include tri wheel walkers, wheelchairs, walking sticks, motorised wheelchairs, walking frames and mobility scooters.
  • To obtain mobility aids please contact Able Deen Shopmobility (01224 254 338) on Level P1.

Opening Times

Multi-Storey Car Park

  • The shopping centre does have its own parking facilities.
  • The car park is located off College Street.
  • The car park type is multi-storey.
  • The car park does have a height restriction barrier.
  • The maximum height of the restriction barrier is 220cm (7ft 3in).
  • The car park does not have a barrier control system.
  • The car park surface is concrete.
  • There is a/are Blue Badge parking bay(s) available.
  • The designated Blue Badge parking bays are located on Level 6, to the left as you drive into the car park.
  • There are parking charges for the car park.
  • Parking is not free for Blue Badge holders.
  • To see the parking charges please click here (opens new tab).
  • Payment machines are located throughout the car park.
  • 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.
  • There is not a/are not clearly marked drop-off point(s).
  • Comments View
    • This is a Pay & Display car park.
    • Levels 6-13 of the car park are for Union Square customers.
    • Levels 1-5 of the car park are for the sole use of Aberdeen Railway Station passengers.

Multi-Storey Designated Parking Level (Level 6 - Street Level)

  • There is/are 5 designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) on this level.
  • The Blue Badge bay(s) is/are clearly marked and signposted.
  • The dimensions of the designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) surveyed are 255cm x 480cm (8ft 4in x 15ft 9in).
  • There is not a 120cm marked zone around the Blue Badge parking bay(s).
  • Blue Badge Parking View
    • The Blue Badge parking bays have a marked zone to both sides but not at the rear.
    • The dimensions of other designated Blue Badge parking bay(s) vary in size.
  • Parent and Child Parking View
    • Clearly marked/signposted parent and child parking bays are not available on this level.
  • Paying View
    • Payment signs are provided.
    • Payment signs are clearly presented.
    • Payment signs are located at the entrance to the car park and throughout the car park.
    • Payment term signs do make it clear if parking charges apply to Blue Badge holders.
    • Payment machines are located close to the exit into the shopping centre and throughout this level.
    • There is not a payment machine at a convenient height for wheelchair users.
  • Access from the Car Park View
    • The pedestrian exit on this level gives access to Aberdeen Train Station (Bridge Level).
    • The route to the pedestrian exit is accessible to a wheelchair user with assistance.
    • Assistance may be required because there is/are slopes/ramps.
    • It may be necessary to cross the path of moving vehicles between the Blue Badge parking bays and the pedestrian exit on this level.
    • The pedestrian exit is not clearly visible from the car park.
    • There are marked walkways on this level to make routes safer for pedestrians.
    • The surface on the approach to the pedestrian exit is concrete.
    • The nearest designated Blue Badge parking bay is approximately 40m from the exit.
  • Comments View
    • The marked pedestrian route at the Blue Badge bays leads to an easy slope through the door to the lift and stairs to other levels but has a step beyond that.
    • Using the road through the car park provides step-free access towards the exit.

Other Floors

  • Stairs can be used to access other floors.
  • The stairs are located to the left of the car parking spaces.
  • There are manual, heavy, single doors to enter and exit the stairwell on all floors.
  • The floors which are accessible by stairs are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.
  • There are 15+ steps between floors.
  • The height of the step(s) is/are between the recommended 15cm and 18cm.
  • The going of the step(s) is/are not between the recommended 30cm and 45cm.
  • The steps are not clearly marked.
  • There is a/are handrail(s) at the step(s).
  • 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 extend horizontally beyond the first and last steps.
  • There is a landing.
  • Clear signs indicating the facilities on each floor are provided on landings.
  • The lighting levels at the steps are good.

Lift

  • There is a lift for public use.
  • The lift is located to the left of the car parking spaces.
  • Signs indicating the location of the lift are clearly visible from the entrance.
  • The lift is a standard lift.
  • A member of staff does not need to be notified for use of the lift.
  • The floors which are accessible by this lift are 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.
  • Clear signs indicating the facilities on each floor are provided on lift lobby landings.
  • There is a clear level manoeuvring space of 150cm × 150cm in front of the lift.
  • Lift doors do contrast visually with lift lobby walls.
  • The external controls for the lift are within 90cm - 110cm from the floor.
  • The colour contrast between the external lift controls and the control plate is poor.
  • The colour contrast between the external lift control plate and the wall is good.
  • The clear door width is 90cm (2ft 11in).
  • The dimensions of the lift are 105cm x 200cm (3ft 5in x 6ft 7in).
  • There are no separate entry and exit doors in the lift.
  • There is a mirror to aid reversing out of the lift.
  • There is 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 controls for the lift are within 90cm - 120cm from the floor.
  • There is not a hearing loop system.
  • The lift does not have Braille markings.
  • The lift does have tactile markings.
  • The lighting levels in the lift are good.
  • Comments View
    • There is a clearly marked step with a handrail on the right as you face the door to enter the lift lobby.
    • An easy slope to the rear lift lobby bypasses the step.
    • Step-free access to the car park exit is via the road within the car park.

College Street - Union Square via Aberdeen Railway Station

  • There is a slight slope leading down from Level 6 of the car park to the access point from College Street Car Park to Aberdeen Station.
  • There is a footbridge leading from the car park to the station concourse.
  • To get from the footbridge to the concourse there is either steps or a lift.
  • There is step-free access from the station concourse to Union Square.

Entrance (Aberdeen Train Station Atrium Entrance)

  • This information is for the entrance located near the Aberdeen Train Station Travel Centre.
  • The entrance area/door is clearly signed.
  • This entrance sign says 'UNION SQUARE'.
  • There is ramped/sloped access at this entrance.
  • The entrance door(s) does/do contrast visually with its immediate surroundings.
  • The main door(s) open(s) automatically.
  • The door(s) is/are double width.
  • The width of the door opening is 122cm.
  • There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance, with a height of 2cm or below.
  • The ramp/slope is located leading down to and beyond 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.

Related Access Guides (Union Square Shopping Centre and Shopping Park)