Accessibility Upgrades Demanded For Scarborough's Brunswick Centre And Local Transport Networks

Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume is calling for a Changing Places toilet in the new Brunswick Centre redevelopment and raising safety concerns over train and bus accessibility across the Yorkshire Coast.

Facilities for people with disabilities must improve across the Yorkshire Coast. Scarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume demanded the changes this week, targeting public transport networks and the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Scarborough's Brunswick Centre.

A new multiplex cinema, retail, and leisure destination will replace the vacant shopping complex, which closed to visitors in September 2025. Private developers Scarborough Group International are leading the project, which relies heavily on public funding. The redevelopment is expected to deliver significant economic benefits to the Yorkshire Coast, with estimates suggesting the new cinema and retail units could attract around 850,000 visits annually.

Public toilets are missing from the baseline budget for the redevelopment, according to official North Yorkshire Council documents. The omission has sparked concerns, as the original shopping centre included public conveniences.

A Changing Places toilet must form part of the new Square One development to accommodate carers and adults with disabilities. The Scarborough and Whitby MP confirmed she is lobbying local leaders to ensure the facilities are built.

Alison Hume said:

"I've approached Scarborough Group. I've also approached the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council and the mayor, David Skaith, that when we develop Square One, I want to make sure that we not only have public toilets there, but we have a changing places toilet.

These are transformational. They make places destinations. If you've been a carer for a young adult or an adult with disabilities, and you want to plan a trip, you know you need a changing places toilet.

We don't have enough in Scarborough, and I don't think that Square One should open without one, and I'm going to be pushing to make sure we get one.

An £8 million loan from North Yorkshire Council and £10.5 million in non-recoverable grants from the Pride in Place Programme and the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority will fund the Brunswick Centre transformation. North Yorkshire Council officials are considering options for toilet provision in the town, but acknowledge that adding them to the Brunswick site would require further assessment, funding, and the agreement of the building owners.

Public transport networks across the Yorkshire Coast are also facing scrutiny over accessibility issues. Time restrictions on concessionary bus passes will vanish across England from April 2027. Eligible disabled people will get free bus travel all day, every day, removing the current rule that limits free travel to between 9.30am and 11pm during weekdays.

A £60 million government fund will back the change. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated the move will end a postcode lottery and help disabled people access jobs, learning, and healthcare.

However, Alison Hume says the extended bus pass scheme will only benefit passengers if local bus and train infrastructure can physically accommodate them. 

The MP said:

"Extending the disabled bus pass is very good news but it is only helpful if you have buses to actually use it on. And in our coastal communities, we often have a space race issue on buses where there's a need for wheelchairs and buggies, and we all know buses will go past and you can't get on them.

Also, if we are building new trains and commissioning new trains, what about level access? Because the gap at Scarborough is enough to fit an elephant through, so that's not safe."

Eligibility for a disabled person’s bus pass is set out in the Transport Act 2000, which defines seven statutory categories of disability. These include people who are:

•     blind or partially sighted;
•     profoundly or severely deaf;
•     without speech;
•     unable or virtually unable to walk because of a disability;
•     without arms, or unable to use both arms;
•     people with a learning disability; and
•     people who would be refused a driving licence on medical grounds (other than because of drug or alcohol misuse).

Local authorities will be responsible for administering the extended bus pass scheme from April 2027.