The tube at a standstill: why TfL stopped people walking up the escalators

[StateOfPlay]

A trial running at Holborn Station to see if it speeds up commuters to have them standing on both sides rather than just the right hand side to allow other commuters to speed up/down.

I suppose it should do as it will in effect be taking nearly double the workload in terms of passenger numbers, rather than a big queue forming at the bottom waiting to get on to the right hand side.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...ding-only-escalators-at-holborn-a6748586.html

Everybody knows the tube etiquette that escalator passengers must stand on the right, leaving the left-hand side free for walkers. But now Transport for London has started a commuter revolution by telling passengers to stand on both sides in a bold bid to ease congestion.

Rush-hour passengers at Holborn station found themselves greeted by staff members with megaphones, stationed at the bottom of one of the up escalators, ordering them to stand on both sides.

The most useful London Underground hack you will ever need
Station managers believe that instructing people not to walk up the escalators will have the result of smoothing the flow of people out of the station, which serves 56m passengers each year.

 

[keppoch69]

Could the machine's not be run a bit faster, and the user to hold on with both hands? Wheeeeeeeee. The best thrill some users of transport within London may get all day/week

 

[Mojo]

Not really new, or news; they were encouraging customers to stand on either side of the escalator at Victoria when they were replacing one of the escalators the other year. And at Hyde Park Corner during 'Winter Wonderland' staff on weekends have been encouraging customers to stand on either side for at least the past four years.

 

[ainsworth74]

That's going to take some considerable re-training of passengers as in London it seem that the vast majority of people follow the system.

 

[StateOfPlay]

Could the machine's not be run a bit faster, and the user to hold on with both hands? Wheeeeeeeee. The best thrill some users of transport within London may get all day/week

Hahahaha the number of casualties would bankrupt the NHS!

 

[westv]

Can always rely on officialdom to interfere with something that works perfectly well as it is.

 

[306024]

Could the machine's not be run a bit faster, and the user to hold on with both hands? Wheeeeeeeee. The best thrill some users of transport within London may get all day/week

Try using the Moscow or Kiev metro, those escalators don't hang about.

 

[Bald Rick]

Personally, I think the right hand side should be for walkers, and the left hand side for quicker walkers. no standing!

Only today I was 'undertaken' on the down escalator to the Jubilee at London Bridge today. I was going at a fair lick myself on the left side, when a woman went steaming past on the right. We still go the same tube though

 

[keppoch69]

Personally, I think the right hand side should be for walkers, and the left hand side for quicker walkers. no standing!

Only today I was 'undertaken' on the down escalator to the Jubilee at London Bridge today. I was going at a fair lick myself on the left side, when a woman went steaming past on the right. We still go the same tube though

I have not visited London for many years After reading Rick, I wonder if our transport service is turning into a two(2) speed, public transport system in this country? For those who "need" High-Speed" fan-dabby-dosey speeds akin to warp/orgasm drive, and the rest of us who are quite happy with what today is our regular speed lines, who walk moderately to slow and want to be able to "breath" within the stations?

 

[Bletchleyite]

One thing I have noticed is that tunnels are "keep left", which means that people walk more slowly on the left and overtake on the right, which is reversed on reaching an escalator. My suggestion would be that one or other of those should be reversed such that the "overtaking" side of the tunnel aligns with the "walk" side of the escalator.

I wouldn't like to see the rule removed as it allows one to proceed more quickly if one feels the need to do so. I sometimes walk and sometimes stand depending on how urgent my journey is.

 

[gordonthemoron]

Has anyone seen a wheelchair user on an escalator (by themselves)?

 

[Quakkerillo]

Has anyone seen a wheelchair user on an escalator (by themselves)?

A few times, yes. Both in London, as well as in Brussels. Here, a guy even commutes, so does it daily with escalators.

 

[Wolfie]

Personally, I think the right hand side should be for walkers, and the left hand side for quicker walkers. no standing!

I know (or at least strongly suspect!) that this is actually intended to be at least partly tongue in cheek but have to say that any such proposal wouldn't work too well for the old, infirm, those with kids etc etc...

One thing I have noticed is that tunnels are "keep left", which means that people walk more slowly on the left and overtake on the right, which is reversed on reaching an escalator. My suggestion would be that one or other of those should be reversed such that the "overtaking" side of the tunnel aligns with the "walk" side of the escalator.

I wouldn't like to see the rule removed as it allows one to proceed more quickly if one feels the need to do so. I sometimes walk and sometimes stand depending on how urgent my journey is.

While MOST walkways etc (I assume that is what you mean by tunnels, as opposed to the actual track) are "keep left" that is far from universally the case.

 

[duncanp]

Yes, I do wish people would observe the "Keep Left" signs in passageways in tube stations.

(Are you listening, those who get off the Victoria and Piccadilly lines at Kings Cross and walk down the long passageway to the Northern ticket hall, and are in such a hurry that you don't notice me coming the other way)

 

[Tetchytyke]

Can always rely on officialdom to interfere with something that works perfectly well as it is.

Trouble is, it doesn't work perfectly well, because you get people marching up the escalator and coming to a crunching halt at the top by the barriers.

That said, this ends up happening at really busy times anyway, the escalators down to the Bank Branch at Euston are always stood still on both sides

 

[Phil.]

Could the machine's not be run a bit faster, and the user to hold on with both hands? Wheeeeeeeee. The best thrill some users of transport within London may get all day/week

That's what was done on the Moscow metro during the 1980 Olympics. I believe that the higher speeds were kept after that.

 

[talltim]

That's what was done on the Moscow metro during the 1980 Olympics. I believe that the higher speeds were kept after that.

Its the doping that allows them to cope with the high speed escalators

 

[rebmcr]

I think having all-standing on the Up escalators may possibly be a good thing, but on the Downs the walking lane is much better-used and should definitely stay.

 

[Busaholic]

What about some lateral thinking? All STANDING should be verboten, a few well-placed baton strikes on the ankles (with alsatian back-up) would be sufficient to solve the problem!

 

[southern442]

Nooo! The tourists win again!

 

[spinba11]

Has anyone seen a wheelchair user on an escalator (by themselves)?

I can do it, it's quite easy only problem is not getting spotted and told off by staff

 

[robbeech]

I read this in the Evening Standard yesterday. Seems an interesting concept. I actually find that sometimes you can walk up the left and then slot into a space where someone has left 4 steps if you get fed up of walking, very much like using the right hand lane at a set of traffic lights.

 

[Cletus]

Yes, I do wish people would observe the "Keep Left" signs in passageways in tube stations.

(Are you listening, those who get off the Victoria and Piccadilly lines at Kings Cross and walk down the long passageway to the Northern ticket hall, and are in such a hurry that you don't notice me coming the other way)

Most of the signs especially at Kings Cross are too small really.

 

[greatkingrat]

Most of the signs especially at Kings Cross are too small really.

That's probably a good thing as most of the signs send you on a massive detour anyway!

 

[StateOfPlay]

That's probably a good thing as most of the signs send you on a massive detour anyway!

Yeah, when you get off at kGX on the northbound Victoria Line, you go left and you get to the ticket hall at the top of the escalators and then turn right to the trains. But if you go right and follow the signs out from the same platform it sends you on a hike around the station.

 

[me123]

Nooo! The tourists win again!

Don't look at me! The current system works really well, very simple and clearly ingrained in the minds of Londoners. More importantly, as a visitor I think the de facto system on the underground is very intuitive.

 

[Cletus]

That's probably a good thing as most of the signs send you on a massive detour anyway!

I meant the "keep left" signs, I probably wasn't clear that I meant that.

 

[southern442]

Don't look at me! The current system works really well, very simple and clearly ingrained in the minds of Londoners. More importantly, as a visitor I think the de facto system on the underground is very intuitive.

Luckily for you, British citizens of any kind don't count as your stereotypical tourist in my eyes

 

[miami]

Don't look at me! The current system works really well, very simple and clearly ingrained in the minds of Londoners. More importantly, as a visitor I think the de facto system on the underground is very intuitive.

Embarrasing when you turn up to somewhere like Singapore, where the rule is stand on the left, walk on the right. Spen aobut 8 weeks there this year, still couldn't get it un-engrained

 

[DavidChandler]

I was at Holborn yesterday and can confirm that customers were standing on the right and walking on the left, as normal.

Also, the notices on the escalators were still in place, advising customers to stand on the right.

https://twitter.com/dchan52169/status/672743476405149697