Transport for London wants passengers to offer their seat to others in greater need when travelling on public transport, and be mindful of less obvious health conditions, as it showcases its new priority seating design.
Take a seat: priority seats on TfL services will soon all come in a distinctive colour
This, in case you didn’t know, is TfL’s annual “Priority Seating Week”, the seventh time they’ve held it, when the transport authority encourages people to look up and be aware of their surroundings on public transport, in case someone is in greater need of a seat.
And to think that there was a time, not so very long ago, when parents and schools would teach children to do the right, polite thing.
Public announcements will play on buses, the Docklands Light Railway, Elizabeth line, London Overground and London Underground networks (a TfL press release made no mention of such announcements on Croydon trams) and a “Travel Kind – Please offer your seat” poster will be displayed across the network.
To ensure passengers can identify a priority seat more easily, all newly introduced priority seats across the TfL network will include the words “This is a priority seat”. This matches the appearance of “Please offer me a seat” badges and the national Blue Badge scheme, and aligns with the priority seating design already in place on the Jubilee line.
The new design has started to be introduced on the Elizabeth line. The design retains the same distinct striped pattern that customers have come to associate with the line, but with a blue colour scheme rather than purple to help people differentiate.
Passengers “will see the new priority seating design strategy on new DLR and Piccadilly trains, as well as on refurbished Central and Waterloo and City line trains”, TfL says.
Seb Dance, London’s deputy mayor for transport, said: “Making the public transport network accessible for all is a top priority for the Mayor, and Londoners can play their part by staying aware of those around them and offering their seat to someone who may need it.
“TfL’s striking new seat design will make priority seating easier to spot, and act as a reminder for everyone to consider their fellow passengers.
Changing behaviour: Alison Peter
“Not all disabilities are visible so, as TfL launches Priority Seating Week, we’re asking all Londoners to keep this in mind, and offer their seat to those who may need it more than them.”
Allison Peter, the deputy chair of TfL’s independent Disability Advisory Group, said: “Priority seats are essential for many disabled people, including those with non-visible conditions, as well as older people.
“They play a vital role in enabling people to travel with confidence and stay connected in London.
“We are delighted to see Priority Seating Week return this year. It serves as an important reminder that these seats only fulfil their purpose with support from passengers.
“By making small, thoughtful adjustments in our behaviour, we can create significant positive impacts on others’ lives. By looking up, offering our seat, and being mindful of non-visible disabilities, we can help to make public transport more accessible and inclusive.”
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
PAID ADS: To advertise your services or products to our 10,000 weekday visitors to the site, as featured on Google News Showcase, email us inside.croydon@btinternet.com for our unbeatable ad rates
- If you have a news story about life in or around Croydon, or want to publicise your residents’ association or business, or if you have a local event to promote, please email us with full details at inside.croydon@btinternet.com
- Our comments section on every report provides all readers with an immediate “right of reply” on all our content. Our comments policy can be read by clicking here
