A new design for priority seating on London Underground trains has been unveiled by Transport for London. The new priority seating on the Tube will feature a 'This is a priority seat' message, as well as a more distinctive colour contrast.
The new design has already been introduced on the Elizabeth line and is set to rolled out on new DLR and Piccadilly line trains, as well as refurbished Central line and Waterloo & City line trains. New seating will match the appearance of the 'Please offer me a seat' badges and the Government's Blue Badge scheme, as well as aligning with priority seating design already in place on the Jubilee line.
Those travelling on the Elizabeth line will recognise the same distinct striped pattern that is associated with the line, but priority seating will instead be blue rather than purple. TfL hopes this will help those will help people differentiate between the seating, especially for those with visual impairments.
As part of its Priority Seating Week, Transport for London is hosting a range of activities including public announcements on its transport services and 'Travel Kind – Please offer your seat’ posters which will be displayed across the network. Badges reading 'Please offer me a seat' will be handed out on the DLR and London Overground and there will also be 'Here to help' stalls on the Elizabeth line.
Seb Dance, 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. 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."
Research by TfL showed that in some cases that those who needed priority seating were not always getting it as their needs aren't always recognised or people may not be paying attention. More than 152,000 'Please offer me a seat badges' have been issued since 2017 - now available to all addresses across the UK.
Transport for London say it is taking other steps to make the transport network more accessible. Knightsbridge Underground Station today became the latest to become step-free. A new accessible toilet also opened last week at White Hart Lane station on the London Overground’s Weaver line
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