Campaigning success: Improved motorway service facilities for all breastfeeding parents

Released on 25/04/2008

In December, NCT responded to a Highways Agency public consultation on a Roadside Facilities Policy Review. The proposed policy included a requirement for free baby changing facilities and a play area for children at all newly signed trunk road service areas in England, but did not include any requirements on baby feeding facilities. 

The NCT recommended that private baby feeding facilities should be provided for parents and carers at all Motorway Service Areas. The NCT specifically recommended that these facilities should be provided separately from the toilet facilities, include access to drinking water, an electric plug socket and hand washing facilities, provide a private space for mothers who choose to breastfeed in private and be appropriately sign posted (i.e not with a bottle symbol).   From 2 April 2008 planning permission for all facilities designated as Rest Areas in England will be dependent on these facilities providing access to a signed, free, private breastfeeding area as a minimum for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year as well as changing facilities and play areas.   

The new policy states that:

• Parent and child facilities should be separate and not combined with toilets but within toilet block
• Parent and child facilities must be fully accessible to disabled users       
• The female parent/carer room must contain a screened area with seating, where women who do not wish to breastfeed in public can do so in private       
• There is also a requirement for male and child rooms
• Baby-feeding facilities should be clearly signed       

Operators are also encouraged to adopt breastfeeding-friendly policies and should consider displaying the international breastfeeding symbol prominently in their amenity building. The inclusion of these requirements is a success for NCT and other supportive organizations & individuals who responded to the consultation calling for better baby feeding facilities. The policy takes a step in the right direction by calling for operators to adopt breastfeeding-friendly policies and adopt the international breastfeeding symbol, however, in line with government policy, it does not require it. 

These requirements do not apply to facilities where a planning application was made before 2^nd April 2008, but does apply to any redevelopment of existing facilities.

Contact

Louise Brant
Email: l_brant@nct.org.uk
Telephone: 020 8752 2396