The Aston University campus is located on a green, 60-acre, self-contained site in the centre of Birmingham, within 5-10 minutes walk of the main shopping, business and entertainment areas of the city. You’ll find a number of facilities in this friendly space, including cafes, a supermarket, and places to meet, study and get healthy.

Map

Getting here

Travelling by bicycle

If you are planning to cycle to Aston University, you can plan your route using CycleStreets.

There are bike shelters on campus and changing facilities are available.

Travelling by car and parking

SatNav

Postcode: B4 7ET

Access

The University can be accessed from:

• M6, Junction 6 (Aston Expressway)
• M5, Junction 3 (Hagley Road)
• M42, Junction 6 (Coventry Road)

Google maps: Directions

Parking

We patrol the campus car parks to deter and prevent any possible criminal activity, and to make sure vehicles are authorised. Unauthorised vehicles will be subject to penalty charge notices.

We carry the Park Mark accreditation and make sure our car parks meet current codes of practice.

Parking for visitors

We have two car parks for visitors on campus:

• Car park 5: Holt Street, B7 4BH - £6 per visit (6am to 10pm) 
• Car park 6: Coleshill Street, B7 4EJ (evenings and weekends only)

We recommend you visit JustPark, where you can find the nearest available parking, get costs, reserve spaces (where applicable) and pay online.

We do have spaces for disabled parking, which will need to be reserved in advance. If you require disabled parking, please contact the person or department you are visiting.

Parking for staff

If you are staff, you will need to register for parking online.

Parking for students

If you are a student, please note that we do not offer student parking and encourage public transport instead. If you are a blue badge holder, please email the Disability and Neurodiversity Support Team

Parking charges

Unauthorised vehicles parked on University campus could be subject to Parking Charges Notices being applied.

Travelling by plane

The nearest airport is Birmingham International airport.

A free shuttle service runs regularly between Birmingham International airport and Birmingham International train station, and takes less than 10 minutes.

Travelling by public transport

By bus

If you’re planning on travelling by bus, timetable information is available from Travel West Midlands.

Numerous buses stop at Aston University.

By coach

If you’re planning on travelling by coach, timetable information is available from National Express. The nearest coach station is in Digbeth, and it is a 20-minute walk through the city centre to Aston University.

By train

If you’re planning on travelling by train, timetable information is available from National Rail. The nearest stations are 10-15 minutes away from campus:

• Birmingham New Street
• Snow Hill
• Moor Street

By tram

If you're planning on travelling by tram, journey planner and timetable information is available from West Midlands Metro. The nearest stations are 6-10 minutes away from campus:

• Bull Street
• Corporation Street
• Grand Central New Street

Staff car parking scheme

Please complete the following details to apply for the staff car parking scheme.

Accessibility

Lowered kerbs, lifts and adapted facilities, along with the compact and flat nature of our 60-acre campus, help facilitate the mobility and general wellbeing of visitors with disabilities.

All teaching and recreational facilities are on one site at Aston Triangle in Birmingham city centre, along with residential accommodation which is managed and owned by UNITE.

Disabled car parking is available at locations P1, 20 and 24, marked on the campus map. Spaces should be booked in advance where possible - please contact Campus Safety on +44(0)121 204 4803 if you are visiting to arrange parking.

Students who require accessible car parking can request this from Student Welfare by completing a support request form.

Although we strive to make the University as accessible as possible, the Main Building does not have electronic door opening along the corridors which may make the building difficult to navigate without assistance for some users.

The guides below aim to provide general advice on the location of services and facilities and the easiest way to access them. Any staff, students or visitors who need specific route-planning and/or advice should contact the Disability and Neurodiversity Support Team.

Main Building

Main Building

Access to Main Building

Two entrances lead into the foyer of the Main Building where the University Reception desk is located on the lower ground next to the security desk. Induction Loop (Telecoil) systems are fitted in the reception.

Main Entrance

The Main Building entrance is accessible from the extensive paved area from Aston Street. There are two slopes leading to the main doors, either side of an ornamental water feature. One slope has a much gentler gradient.

The main entrance from Aston Street has two sets of outer, automatic, sliding, double doors, marked with white dotted lines. From the initial set of outer doors there is a 90 degree turn to pass through the inner doors.

Potter Street Entrance

The Potter Street entrance is accessed directly from the Potter Street Car Park. Potter Street is a barrier-operated access road with no thorough fare for general traffic.

There are two sets of doors into the Main Building with a lobby between. The lobby is 310cm long by 260cm wide.

The outer double doors are fully glazed with no markings and can be opened using the button to the right of the door. The doors open outwards to a total width of 160cm.

A button on the left hand side of the lobby can be used to open the inner, glazed double doors which also have no markings. The doors open inwards to a total width of 160cm.

When leaving the building through this route the buttons to operate doors are to your left.

Getting around the Main Building

From the Main Reception, the ground floor of the Main Building is accessible via lift or staircase. Please see the Ground Floor Plan of Main Building for more detailed information.

main-building-ground-floor-plan107.84 KB

For lift access, the following table will guide you to the Upper Foyer from where you can access the rest of the building including the Great Hall and the Hub Reception (an induction Loop (Telecoil) system is fitted).

Lift	Floor Number	Directions
Red/Blue Sky Lifts	UG/1 Respectively	Turn right as you leave the lift and descend the ramp. The upper foyer is to the left, with access to the Great Hall. The Hub is to the right.
South Wing Lift	1	Turning slightly to the right but directly ahead of the lift is a narrow bridge. It has a gentle downward slope and leads straight to the middle of the Upper Foyer.

Please see the Lift Plan for more information about the most appropriate lift for each room.

Lift guide1 MB

Please note that 'D' lift in the Upper Foyer has a door width of 76cm and 160cm by 115cm floor area so may be restrictive if you are a wheelchair user. If you require an alternative route please contact the Disability & Academic Support Team.

Accessible Toilets

Please note that this does not include toilets in North and South Wing. Please see the information below.

If visitors do not have their own Radar key, one is available from the Security desk off the Main Reception. If students are looking to loan a radar key on a more permanent basis, this option can be discussed with the Disability & Academic Support Team.

Ground Floor

There is a unisex accessible toilet just off the Upper Foyer – to the left-hand side of the Great Hall, and then directly on the right. The room is 185cm wide by 242cm long. The door has an access width of more than 80cm.

There are Manual and Overhead hoists and a changing table (users must provide their own slings for the hoists); there is also a ClosMat Wash-and-Go toilet.

One of the cubicles inside the male toilet behind the ‘H’ lifts is accessible. It is located furthest from the door and is 50cm wide by 180cm long.

There is a toilet accessed from the small foyer in front of Café 66 with a radar lock. The room is ‘L’-shaped, 224cm long by 185cm at its widest point. The recess in which the lavatory sits is 140cm wide. The door is manual and opens inwards giving an access width of slightly less than 80cm.

First Floor

Close to the ‘A’ lift lobby is a toilet with a Radar Lock. The key is available from the Security desk off the Main Reception. The room is 117cm by 280cm. The door gives an access width of slightly less than 80cm.

Second Floor

With the male toilets, close to room MB257 the room is 155cm by 194cm, with the door opening inwards giving an access width of over 80cm.

With the female toilets, close to room 231 the room is 155cm by 290cm with the door opening inwards giving an access width of over 80cm.

There are accessible toilets within the Aston Business School Postgraduate Suite but these are only available to students who are authorised to use the suite.

Sixth Floor

Opposite room MB640, the room is 142cm by 194cm.

Opposite the ABS Undergraduate Office. This is marked 'Staff Only', however if needed student access can be arranged.

North Wing

The North Wing has a total of 12 floors, ground to tenth inclusive with a basement level. It adjoins the Main Building directly. When needing to use elevators, the North Wing is the only place where two elevators face each other across a small lobby area. Only the larger of the two elevators gives access to the basement level.

accessability-guide64 KB

Access to the North Wing (and alternate route into the Main Building)

There are two entrances in to the North Wing, one from Car Park 2 and the other from Car Park 3. The two car parks and the entrances leading in from them are on opposite sides of the building but lead in to the same lobby area.

Entrance Doors

The two entrances are identical with a set of double outer glass doors and a set of double inner glass doors. There are small recess areas between the sets of doors at each entrance. All doors are power assisted, operated by buttons located to the side of the doors. Each pair of doors gives access width of 150cm when opened at the same time but individually give less than 80cm width each. The doors open outwards.

Via the Main Building

A flight of steps separates the ground floor entrance lobby of the North Wing from the North Foyer of the Main Building.

A platform lift is installed on these stairs. It is locked at all times and requires Security permission to use it. A telephone can be found on the reverse side of the stub wall to which the platform lift is built. This telephone calls straight through to Security (0121 359 4803) for assistance.

There is direct level access from Floor 9 of the North Wing to Floor 7 of the Main Building.

Getting around the North Wing

The North Wing has a simple floor plan. In general, corridors are 180cm in width except on the first floor where they can be as narrow as 140cm. Most doors are double doors giving access widths of slightly less than 80cm when opened individually. Viewing panels are installed, though in some doors they don’t allow full-length visibility.

Lifts

Both of the North Wing’s lifts are accessible from the same foyer from the ground floor to the tenth inclusive. Only the larger of the two lifts will proceed to the basement level. The smaller lift has a carriage size of 121cm by 185cm with a door that gives an access width of 90cm. This lift serves all floors except for the basement level. The Goods lift can also be used as an accessible lift if necessary.

The larger lift has a carriage size of 215cm by 200cm with a door that gives an access width of 130cm. This lift serves all floors including the basement level.

Toilet Facilities

An accessible toilet is located off the Lift Lobby on the 7th floor. Inwards opening door limits space around the WC to 168cm by 198cm. Right-hand transfer facility.

South Wing

The South Wing has 12 floors including the Ground Floor. Access to the South Wing is from the Main Reception of the Main Building or through the ‘out of hours’ entrance, by the Potter Street Car Park.

Access to the South Wing (including access to the Main Building)

The South Wing is accessed from the Main Building. Please refer to the section on entry for the Main Building for more information.

From the Main Reception access to the South Wing can be gained through a set of manual doors. Individually these doors open to give an access width of slightly less than 80cm but can be opened at the same time. These doors stand alongside the window wall of the Security Station in the Main Reception lobby.

The Blue Sky lift gives access to all floors of the South Wing. The South Wing lift also serves the South Wing directly but only rises as high as Floor 10. Both lifts are accessible from the Main Reception lobby.

Getting Around the South Wing

The South Wing has a simple floor plan. Corridors are generally 170cm wide but are only 120cm wide on Floor 8 with a shot section at 90cm. The doors to staff offices tend to be only 76cm or 77cm in width and some double doors can be opened at the same time for wider access. Many doors have glass panes but some do not allow full-length visibility.

Lifts

The Blue Sky Lift serves all floors of the South Wing and can be accessed from the Main Building lobby.

The South Wing lift has a door width of 100cm and a carriage of149cm by 1765cm. This lift serves the South Wing up to and including Floor 10.

Wheelchair users may find it more convenient to use the South Wing lift due to the restricted width of corridor doors on higher levels when entering the South Wing from the Blue Sky lift. Only the Blue Sky Lift goes to Floor 11.

Both lifts are available from the Main Reception lobby.

Toilet Facilities

Ground Floor: The room is 145cm by 182cm with a door access width of 86cm. Door opens outwards.

Out of Hours Entrance

The ‘out of hours’ entrance is located on the ground floor past the Security Office. A telephone is located close to the ‘out of hours’ entrance and can be used to contact taxi companies only. The ‘out of hours’ entrance opens outwards on to the Potter Street Car Park.

Food and Drink

All of the University's dining areas are easily accessible.

Café 66 (Staff and Postgraduate Students Only)

There is level access on the Ground Floor, opposite ‘B’ lift.

Café Tierra

There is level access on the Ground Floor from either ‘A’ or ‘H’ lifts.

Eros Coffee Bar

Main Building, East wing ground floor, in the corridor between the Great Hall and G11.

For more information on the University's dining areas please get in touch with Catering.

Buildings on campus

Aston Business School/Conference Aston

Aston Business School is located on Aston Street close to the Main Building. The building is primarily a hotel and conference facility but also provides dedicated facilities for MBA students. The building also has lounge areas; a bar, a restaurant as well as several lecture theatres.

Access to Aston Business School

The Main Entrance has a level approach and a level threshold. The entrance comprises four sets of double glazed doors. Two sets of which open outwards automatically. These doors give access to the main lobby in which the reception desk is located.

Getting around the Aston Business School

Corridors serving bedrooms on levels U1 to U3 and U5 are 142cm wide with frequent passing areas of 236cm by 350cm, enabling two wheelchair users to pass each other. The corridor serving the meeting rooms on level 1 is 124cm to 137cm in width with the doors to the meeting rooms having an access width of around 75cm.

Academic offices on level 2 are served by a corridor that narrows to 77cm in some places.

Corridors on levels 3 and 5 are 108cm in width and there are doors giving access widths of less than 80cm.

Floors on most levels in circulation areas for conference rooms, meeting rooms and hotel rooms give an access width in the order of 80cm to 90cm.

Lifts

• Lifts 1, 2 and 4 are 12 person lifts with a floor space of 150cm by 140cm and service all floors. These lifts are located in the newer part of Aston Business School.
• Lift 3 is located in the older part of the building and takes a maximum of 8 people with a floor space of 09cm by 139cm. This lift does not give access to level 0.
• A platform lift is installed to overcome the level difference between the conference rooms and lecture theatre foyer. The platform is 143cm by 100cm and the controls require continuous pressure to operate - assistance can be requested from the Main Reception desk.

Food and Drink

A restaurant is available on the ground floor serving a variety of hot and cold food, including full meals and a selection of hot and cold drinks. Alcoholic beverages are also available from the bar.

Toilet Facilities

Unisex accessible toilet facilities are available close to the single gender toilet facilities on levels 0, U2, 4 and 6.

Induction Loop Systems and Other Access Features

Induction Loop Systems are installed in Conference Aston for meeting rooms 1, 144 and 145. For more information about the accessible features of the Business School, please see the dedicated site for learning and teaching spaces at Aston.

There are four wheelchair accessible bedrooms: numbers 102, 202, 302 and 502. These are all located near lift 1 and provide the same facilities as the executive standard rooms elsewhere in the building. The doors to these rooms have an access width of 88cm.

For further information, please contact Conference Aston/ABS directly.

Aston Brain Centre

This building houses the Aston Academy of Life Sciences on two floors as well as the Life Science Laser Institute and Aston MRI Suites. For more information, please contact the Brain Centre directly.

Accessing the Aston Brain Centre

A pair of fully glazed, automatic sliding doors provides access to the main entrance. The threshold is level with the ground outside.

Main Reception is located inside the Main Entrance. It has a counter at heights 110cm and 74cm.

Getting around the building

In general the corridors are 150cm with some as narrow as 120cm. There are no passing areas along the routes. Doors within the building are either 88cm or 97cm wide. Doors have vision panels from 62cm to 178cm from the floor and should allow reasonable visibility to corridors or rooms on the other side.

Lifts

• One lift is available to take visitors from the Ground Floor to Floor 1. It is an 8 person lift with a floor space 140cm by 110cm. The door has an access width of 80cm.
• Use of the lift is restricted during times when the MRI scanner is in operation. Please speak with staff at the Main Reception for advice.

Toilets

Accessible toilets are available in locations around the building:

On the ground floor, close to Main Reception, the MRI Suite and in the pre-treatment waiting area.

And on Floor 1, two toilets can be found by the Birmingham Children’s Cochlear Implant programme/ Note that one of the toilets (room 130) has a cubicle size of 187cm by 152cm.

Induction Loop Systems and other Access Features

Induction Loop Systems are fitted in the Main Reception and at the reception for the Birmingham Children’s Cochlear Implant programme.

Learning and Teaching Spaces

Height adjustable computer stations are available in over 20 computer laboratories throughout the Main Building. Access to many of the labs is dependent upon subject area and year of study. There are also areas with specialist equipment and software including a loop system.

Portable Height-adjustable desks are available in lecture theatres/classrooms on request – please get in touch with the Disability & Academic Support Team to discuss this further.

Learning spaces

Library

Access to the Library

The Main Entrance has a revolving door and accessible door (card access only) - if access through the accessible door is required it will be activated on your uniCARD. These doors open into the reception foyer. There are gate-barriers once inside with one accessible gate-barrier for wheelchair access.

The Reception desk is 108cm high, with a section at 75cm.

There is also a Help Point on ground floor. This is 118cm high, with a section at 74cm high.

Lift

The lift serves all floors. It is for 13 people and has a floor area of 145cm by 145cm, with a door access width of 100cm.

Food and Drink

Café Libro on the ground floor of the Library serves a selection of food and drinks. There is a counter at 114cm high, with a section at 86cm.

Toilet Facilities

There are accessible toilets on all floors with a Radar lock, a key is available from staff on the Reception desk on the ground floor if required.

Access Features

Induction Loop (Telecoil) system is fitted at the Reception desk on ground floor.

A height-adjustable table, with priority given to wheelchair users, is available on Second floor.

For further information and opening times, please liaise directly with the Library.

Martin Luther King Multi-Faith Centre

The MLK Multi-faith Centre is situated in the centre of campus, near the Library entrance at the bottom of the James Watt (B1) accommodation block, and caters for those of all faiths or of none.

All rooms are on the ground floor with easy access and there is an accessible toilet.

Further information available on their website

Nursery

The nursery has automatic doors, accessible toilet and is all on the Ground Floor.

Further information about the nursery and preschool can be found on their website.

Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre

The Woodcock Sports Centre is a listed building and contains one of the longest surviving original swimming pool buildings in the area.

Access to the Woodcock Centre

The main entrance is accessed via a ramp that has 1 in 9 .5 gradient. The outer doors are manual but are secured in an open position when the sports centre is in use. The inner doors are power assisted.

Getting around the Woodcock Centre

The doors to the single-sex changing rooms are power operated.

There is wheelchair access to the spectator areas to the side of the sports halls.

Oxford Dipper Pool hoist for people with mobility difficulties ensuring consistent, safe lifting at all times. The Oxford Dipper hydraulic manual hoist comes with a sling and seating configuration - staff assistance is available through the Main Reception desk.

Toilet/Changing/Shower Facilities

There are three separate accessible toilet, shower and changing facilities and well as accessible toilets throughout the building.

Chair lift to the upper sports hall, gym and changing facilities and dance studios.

Students' Union

Access to the Students’ Union

The Main Entrance is accessed via two flights of steps with a wide area between the flights. Both flights have 8 steps.

There is a platform lift to the left hand side of these steps; controlled by the Union porters and access can be gained by pressing the button next to the lift.

There is also a wheelchair accessible route between the Main Building and the Union via an overheard covered link bridge between the two buildings.

Accessible Lower Ground Entrance

Doors to the Lower Ground floor entrance are located under the canopy to the side of the building and signs indicate where this is to be found. The doors are locked and you will need to ring the bell located to the right of the door when access is required.

B4 Bar Entrance

Entrance is via double doors with each door less than 80cm in width although they can be opened at the same time. These doors are only open when the bar is open and the route through the bar can be congested during busy periods. . http://www.aston.ac.uk/union/services/b4/

Getting around the Students’ Union

Aston Students’ Union has a simple floor plan.In general, corridors are 120cm in width, reducing in some places to 104cm. One lift serves all floors.

Lifts

The lift carries 13 people and is 165cm by 125cm with a door opening to 86cm/ the lift serves all floors of the Students’ Union.

Toilets

There are toilets on various levels of the building with the accessible toilet near B4 bar. It has an area of 150cm by 200cm with an outwards opening door that gives an access width of 94cm. The door is radar locked with the key available from B4 bar.

Virtual Tour

Please see the Union Website for a Virtual Tour of the main areas of the Building and for further information about the Union in general.

Vision Sciences Building

The Vision Sciences Building houses Vision Sciences, Audiology and the Aston University Health Clinics, each with their own entrances.

Accessing the Vision Sciences Building

There is wide, paved access to the building on a level with the building’s entrances, with the exception of the Vision Sciences Student Entrances (see below).

Aston University Health Clinics Entrance

There is a set of double, power assisted doors, each with a semi-circular pane of glass from 62cm to 182cm in diameter. This might restrict visibility into the building for wheelchair users before the doors are opened.

Audiology Student Entrance

The entrance is located to the side of the building and consists of two manual glazed doors. The clear glazing can make it difficult to determine if the doors are open or closed so if you have a visual impairment you are advised to keep this in mind when using this entrance.

Vision Sciences Student Entrance

The entrance is accessed via a single step or a ramp that has a 1 in 18 gradient and rises to a height of 17cm/ the ramp is 135cm in width. There are power assisted, fully glazed double doors with marking on the glazing to help identify when the doors are open or closed.

Getting around the Vision Sciences Building

The Main Reception is located just within the Aston University Health Clinics entrance with counters at a height of 76cm and 103cm.

Corridors on the Ground Floor and Floor 1 are 180cm wide and should allow two wheelchair users to pass one another.

The doors behind the reception area leading to the audiology laboratories give an access width of 71cm each. Although there are double doors, one of the doors is frequently bolted. If you are a wheelchair user you may wish to speak with someone at reception before proceeding through these doorways to make sure the way is clear.

Lifts

A platform lift is installed at the Vision Sciences Student entrance to give access to Flor 1. It has a maximum lift load of 400kg. The platform is 109cm by 140cm, automatic doors. A stair lift has been installed to allow access to the lockers and the area behind the lecture theatre. The lift is key operated and users will be issued with a key. The platform is 100cm by 77cm and has a maximum load of 225kg.

Accessible Features For information about the accessible features of the learning and teaching spaces in the Vision Sciences Building.

John Cadbury House

This is a landmark acquisition and major civic commitment of our urban University to the regeneration of the city centre. Furthermore, this is our first major physical presence outside of the Aston triangle since the 1970s.

The building acquisition is a key and exciting part of our 2030 strategy, enabling us to free up much-needed space on the main campus for teaching, learning, research and social spaces for our staff, students and partners. The prominent location in Corporation Street provides us with a highly visible presence in the professional services and business district of the city, by establishing new outward facing corporate and engagement offices under the collegiate banner of ‘One Aston’.

We are located at 190 Corporation St, Birmingham, B4 6QD