Access Guide
Opening Times (Bluewater)
- The venue is open 24hrs.
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- The shopping centre is open 24 hours.
- The opening times of shops, cafés and restaurants in the centre vary.
- Please see the Bluewater website for more information.
Getting Here
- Bluewater is located to the south west of Greenhithe, off the B255, which is accessed via the A2 at Bean Interchange. Follow the signs for Bluewater from the A2.
- There are six car parks surrounding the shopping centre. There are four multi-storey car parks - Guildhall Car Park, Plaza Car Park, Rose Gallery Car Park, and Thames Walk Car Park. There are two open air car parks - Village Car Park and Winter Garden Car Park.
- There is a bus stop within 150 metres of the shopping centre.
- There is an onsite bus station and transit hub.
- For more information on Bluewater Bus Station and Transit Hub please click here (opens new tab).
- The nearest railway station is Greenhithe.
- Bluewater is a 25 minute bus ride away from Greenhithe Railway Station, which connects you to all major cities in the UK.
- For more information on Greenhithe Station - National Rail please click here (opens new tab).
Parking
- There are six car parks surrounding Bluewater. For more information on the car parks please see the following access guides.
- Guildhall Car Park (opens in a new tab)
- Plaza Car Park (opens in a new tab)
- Rose Gallery Car Park (opens in a new tab)
- Thames Walk Car Park (opens in a new tab)
- Village Car Park (opens in a new tab)
- Winter Garden Car Park (opens in a new tab).
Getting Help and Assistance
- Guest services associates, Security officers, Cleaning operatives and Car park attendants receive Autism Awareness training.
- There is not a member of staff trained in British Sign Language. Please phone the venue in advance for more information
- Guest Services Associates do receive training in escorting visually impaired people.
- Alternative formats of the shopping centre map are available in large print.
- There is an assistance dog toilet or toileting area at the venue/nearby.
- The assistance dog toilet or toileting area is located on the grassed areas around the site.
- There is a designated place of safety which can be used by people with dementia, autism or learning disabilities.
- The place of safety is located on Lower Rose Gallery, in The Quiet Place.
- Water bowls for assistance dogs are not available.
- There are mobility aids available.
- The mobility aids available include mobility scooters and wheelchairs.
- To obtain mobility aids please contact Ability Plus.
Internal Area(s) (Sun Court Lower Level)
- Digital wayfinders are not available.
- Overhead signs are provided to aid wayfinding.
- Information posts are provided to aid wayfinding.
- The type of flooring in this area is carpet and marble.
- There is flooring with a very shiny finish which could cause issues with glare or be perceived as slippery.
- The following types of seating can be found in this area; armchairs.
- There are some centrally located kiosks or shops along walkways in this area.
- There is high colour contrast between the walls and floor in the majority of corridors/walkways.
- The lighting levels are good.
- Background music is played in this area.
- Background music is played throughout the court.
- There is step free access in this area.
Other Floors (Sun Court)
- Stairs can be used to access other floors.
- The stairs are located to the centre of Sun Court.
- The floors which are accessible by stairs are Lower and Upper.
- 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 between the recommended 30cm and 45cm.
- The steps are 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 not extend horizontally beyond the first and last steps.
- There is a landing.
- Clear signs indicating the facilities on each floor are not provided on landings.
- The lighting levels at the steps are good.
Lift (Sun Court)
- There is a lift for public use.
- The lift is located between John Lewis and L'Occitaine on the lower level, and John Lewis and Kurt Geiger on the upper level.
- 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 Lower, Upper.
- 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 not within 90cm - 110cm from the floor.
- The colour contrast between the external lift controls and the control plate is high.
- The colour contrast between the external lift control plate and the wall is high.
- The clear door width is 138cm (4ft 6in).
- The dimensions of the lift are 225cm x 177cm (7ft 5in x 5ft 10in).
- There is 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 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.
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- The lift operates automatically on entry.
Internal Area(s) (Sun Court Upper Level)
- Digital wayfinders are not available.
- Overhead signs are provided to aid wayfinding.
- Information posts are provided to aid wayfinding.
- The type of flooring in this area is marble.
- There is flooring with a very shiny finish which could cause issues with glare or be perceived as slippery.
- The following types of seating can be found in this area; wooden benches.
- There is high colour contrast between the walls and floor in the majority of corridors/walkways.
- The lighting levels are good.
- Background music is played in this area.
- Background music is played throughout the court.
- There is step free access in this area.
Guest Services Counter (Sun Court Concierge Desk)
- The counter is located on Upper Sun Court.
- There is step-free access to the counter, via lift.
- There is a clear unobstructed route to the counter.
- There are no windows, TVs, 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 good.
- The height of the counter is 121cm .
- There is not sufficient space to write or sign documents on the counter.
- There is a lowered section of the counter.
- The height of the lowered section of the counter is 81cm.
- There is sufficient space to write or sign documents on the lowered section of the counter.
- There is not a clear knee recess beneath the low/lowered section of the counter.
- There is not a clear list of services at the counter.
- There is not a digital wayfinding touchscreen at the counter.
- There is not a hearing assistance system at the counter.
- There is not a waiting area close to the counter.
Accessible Toilet(s)
- The nearest accessible toilet(s) is/are located on Upper Guildhall.
Standard Toilet(s)
- Standard toilet facilities are not available.
- The nearest standard toilet(s) is/are located on Upper Guildhall.
Related Access Guides (Bluewater)
- Bluewater - Customer Services link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Guildhall link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Management Suite link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Moon Court link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Rose Gallery link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Shopmobility link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Star Court link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Thames Walk Blue link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - Thames Walk Yellow link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - The Plaza link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - The Village link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater - The Winter Garden link (new tab) - click here
- Bluewater Nature Trail link (new tab) - click here