Legible London - Concept

Concept

Initial Applied research as set out in 'Legible London – A Wayfinding Study’ identified that there were 32 different wayfinding systems in central London alone. Like many other major cities, London too had various local institutions such as boroughs and councils implementing their own local wayfinding signs that failed to work together. This was compounded by multiple pictures of the city being available in print and online. This had been causing visual incoherency and confusion throughout the city for the wayfinding pedestrian, ultimately causing a sense of insecurity that undermines the city’s potential for retail and tourism.

Another key factor in concept development was the burden that some of the London Underground stations were going through, many of them having to close to further passengers when especially busy. 'Legible London – A Wayfinding Study’ showed that many stations were quicker to walk, yet the unfamiliar, uninformed visitor would take the tube, causing avoidable congestion in and around the station. The study found that 109 journeys were quicker to walk than to take the tube, 55% of journeys within a mile’s distance.Furthermore, not knowing the local geography caused many pedestrians and travelers to use the tube map when navigating. Research showed that over 40% of the city’s travelers were using the iconic Tube map even when navigating on foot.

Although Legible London is a means to improve pedestrian wayfinding across London through consistent information provision, for Transport for London, the system is a method to increase walking levels in the Capital, in line with targets set out in the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy (2010). It is envisaged that improved wayfinding will enhance individual’s mental maps and boost their confidence to walk.

As well as ‘passive’ use of the system through on-street signs, Transport for London is increasingly using Legible London mapping as an active tool to directly support Londoners to walk more. One example of this was trialled at London Waterloo rail station in September 2011, through a campaign targeted at commuters with a Waterloo focused walking map given direct to the public to encourage walking for onward journeys instead of using the tube or bus for short distance journeys.