class411
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Post by class411 on Nov 25, 2016 9:30:48 GMT
There is some discussion the the 'Bring back Trafalgar' thread about helpful signage for visitors.
To avoid thread drift I'm putting this comment in a separate thread.
As has become clear, there would need to be an awful lot of text added to station signs if you wanted to add all popular sites to all applicable stations.
Wouldn't a better idea be to have a standard poster placed next to (or near) the diagrams with an alphabetical list of attractions and the nearest stations?
It would also be extremely helpful if said poster included the exit number to take for each attraction, as getting out by the correct exit can save considerable time and aggravation.
On that topic, it would also be very useful if stations where it is not obvious had pointers to all the exits at each gate line. For anyone not familiar with a station, it can be extremely confusing when you exit a gate line and see one exit, not knowing how many others there might be and where they lead.
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Post by crusty54 on Nov 25, 2016 10:23:47 GMT
There is some discussion the the 'Bring back Trafalgar' thread about helpful signage for visitors. To avoid thread drift I'm putting this comment in a separate thread. As has become clear, there would need to be an awful lot of text added to station signs if you wanted to add all popular sites to all applicable stations. Wouldn't a better idea be to have a standard poster placed next to (or near) the diagrams with an alphabetical list of attractions and the nearest stations? It would also be extremely helpful if said poster included the exit number to take for each attraction, as getting out by the correct exit can save considerable time and aggravation. On that topic, it would also be very useful if stations where it is not obvious had pointers to all the exits at each gate line. For anyone not familiar with a station, it can be extremely confusing when you exit a gate line and see one exit, not knowing how many others there might be and where they lead. In these days of smart phones finding the nearest station to anywhere in London does not mean reading a massive list on a station wall. People plan their journey before getting to the station. Exit information and a local map are provided at every station supplemented by yellow and blacks at busy stations. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2016 10:47:43 GMT
Haven't they started adding those black and yellow walking signs to the signs anyway, with arrows to the appropriate exit for the appropriate destination.
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Post by trt on Nov 25, 2016 10:49:53 GMT
It would be helpful if they brought back the job of that person who used to walk around every station and pay attention to detail, for example at Euston where they used to have a big clock you could see from the end of the UP escalator, so you'd know how long you had left before your mainline train. They COULD have put in four DMIs with the departure information for 8-11 on them, but no, they put up a plasma screen with ALL the departures on beyond the gateline which means you can't decide well in advance if you're going to head left or go straight on, and then you always get a group of people standing in front of the plasma screen just getting in the way of everyone else. Then there's the two "luggage" gates, far right for the luggage slot gate, far left for the wide gate. Why not INDICATE that by way of icons on a ceiling hung Toblerone?
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class411
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Post by class411 on Nov 25, 2016 11:20:32 GMT
In these days of smart phones finding the nearest station to anywhere in London does not mean reading a massive list on a station wall. 1) Smart phones often don't work in stations. 2) Not everyone carries one. 3) For anyone who can read, a long list is not a problem if it is sorted alphabetically. 1) On that basis, why not get rid of the diagrams and other helpful information that is currently provided at stations? 2) Do you do not consider spontaneity is something to to be facilitated for tourists and travellers? They may be provided 'somewhere' but they are often difficult to locate, and, again, if you don't know they are there, or where they are, they are not of much use. Given the number of people I see looking lost and confused at underground stations, I don't think there is any room for a smug 'it's all there already' approach. |
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Post by brigham on Nov 25, 2016 11:26:05 GMT
Haven't they started adding those black and yellow walking signs to the signs anyway, with arrows to the appropriate exit for the appropriate destination. You mean like the coloured lights of yore? |
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Post by crusty54 on Nov 25, 2016 16:26:01 GMT
Haven't they started adding those black and yellow walking signs to the signs anyway, with arrows to the appropriate exit for the appropriate destination. You mean like the coloured lights of yore? no the signs are new and provide exit detail for attractions |
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Post by crusty54 on Nov 25, 2016 16:35:17 GMT
In these days of smart phones finding the nearest station to anywhere in London does not mean reading a massive list on a station wall. 1) Smart phones often don't work in stations. 2) Not everyone carries one. 3) For anyone who can read, a long list is not a problem if it is sorted alphabetically. 1) On that basis, why not get rid of the diagrams and other helpful information that is currently provided at stations? 2) Do you do not consider spontaneity is something to to be facilitated for tourists and travellers? They may be provided 'somewhere' but they are often difficult to locate, and, again, if you don't know they are there, or where they are, they are not of much use. Given the number of people I see looking lost and confused at underground stations, I don't think there is any room for a smug 'it's all there already' approach. Wasn't being smug but most journeys are planned before setting out. On occasions you may have to deviate from your planned route but your destination will usually remain. As stated on the previous thread visitors also use guidebooks. Planned also includes spontaneity. You have to decide where you're going. The station diagrams are there for route confirmation and highly desirable. Having worked on the yellow and blacks I dare to suggest that additional helpful information is being provided. If budget is available more will be done. |
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Post by Chris M on Nov 25, 2016 18:17:18 GMT
The yellow and black signs are really useful, but exit guides are useful when you are looking for a specific street or lesser-known attraction that are not suitable for inclusion on the large signage. However the exit guides are small, usually hard to find in ticket halls (or occasionally on the paid side of barrier lines) and (almost) impossible to locate on the TfL website in advance.
For example recently I travelled to Swiss Cottage for the walk to South Hampstead Overground. I wasn't able to find out which exit number I needed until I was actually at the station and had found the exit guide - the exits are prominently numbered but if you don't know which number you need that doesn't help.
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class411
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Post by class411 on Nov 25, 2016 18:39:13 GMT
Wasn't being smug but ... Having worked on the yellow and blacks ... Sorry, I wasn't accusing you, personally, of being smug, I didn't realise you'd actually worked on signage. I just meant that I didn't think LU should say 'we've got it covered' whilst things can still be quite confusing. One of the main problems with stations is that they are very 'busy', visually, so ensuring that it is clear where the information points are is extremely important. It would be good if they could adopt a single high visibility 'motif' (e.g. specific brightly coloured/patterned border and ' i' signs, and group all the relevant posters: diagram, timetable, fares,exit guide, within that border, and make sure that there is one near passenger's eyelines at each gate line. |
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Post by crusty54 on Nov 25, 2016 18:50:51 GMT
Wasn't being smug but ... Having worked on the yellow and blacks ... Sorry, I wasn't accusing you, personally, of being smug, I didn't realise you'd actually worked on signage. I just meant that I didn't think LU should say 'we've got it covered' whilst things can still be quite confusing. One of the main problems with stations is that they are very 'busy', visually, so ensuring that it is clear where the information points are is extremely important. It would be good if they could adopt a single high visibility 'motif' (e.g. specific brightly coloured/patterned border and ' i' signs, and group all the relevant posters: diagram, timetable, fares,exit guide, within that border, and make sure that there is one near passenger's eyelines at each gate line. I think this is the aim of the new yellow & black signs but money is needed and not all ticket halls have enough height/space. There is also a programme to install a blue circular i sign above information sites. Your grouping idea was adopted in the 1980s but those that understood how to maintain this have long left the company. |
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Post by peterc on Nov 26, 2016 17:21:13 GMT
I have found Swiss Cottage difficult to navigate too despite a good knowledge of the area at street level.
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Post by rsdworker on Nov 27, 2016 2:02:56 GMT
regarding exit guides - sometimes station has exit directory signs which Bank has those to show which exit you require
in few overseas cities - there exit maps or station plans displayed om stations
one example i remember
GVB (Amsterdam) has station plans for all metro stations online also stations have station plans in some showing where you are
in UK
Newcastle does not have exit guide but the signages inside stations are very clear where you went
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