Legible London - will wayfinding = more walking?

Picture courtesy of Martin Deutsch via Flickr

Legible London pedestrian signs are being installed in parts of central London by Transport for London (TfL). 

Each sign is strategically placed and has:

• An easy-to-read map that is orientated to the users point of view;
• 5 and 15 minute walking distances;
• 3D drawings of key shops and buildings in the area.

The thinking behind the new system is to encourage more people to walk around London instead of driving or using the crowded public transport system. 

To provide Londoners with a coherent wayfinding system, the Legible London designers have broken the city down into three key spatial hierarchies:

• Areas: ‘broad areas of the city’ such as the West End;
• Villages: ‘commonly used names’ which Londoners use to quickly connect one part of the city to another;
• Neighbourhoods: there are several neighbourhoods in each village.

TfL believe that this process of breaking places down, helps pedestrians to explore and find their way around the city

Does it get more people walking? Research following the prototype system in Bond Street found that on average, walking journeys in the area were 16% quicker.  More recent assessments of the new pilots found that the number of people getting lost in the area fell by 65%.  Overall this has contributed to a five per cent increase in people walking in these areas of London.

Find out more about Legible London on TFL's weebsite....