A prototype walking wayfinding system for London

Case‑study description

Back in 2007, walking accounted for 80% of trips under a mile and was the main way in which public transport was accessed in London, with 36% of all walking trips aiming to access public transport. However, the wayfinding systems at the time had come about to service a wide variety of needs, which reflected the diversity of bodies responsible for design and maintenance of the street environment. As a result, many different organisations had their own information systems, and the logical solution was to move toward a coherent approach to pedestrian information for London as a whole. This led to the creation of “Legible London”: a comprehensive system of over 1,500 signs across London, covering the majority of London’s 32 boroughs.

As available information showed, “Journey time is a more important factor than distance when it comes to deciding whether to walk” (p.18).

Key implementation steps:

1. Inclusion of the wayfinding system in a wider strategy – London defined an overall objective to remove the physical and mental barriers to walking and to create incentives for people to walk. The city looked to benefit from economies of scale in purchasing and maintenance.
2. Connect to all transport modes – The Legible London map system appears inside tube stations, on bus shelters, cycle hire, digital screens and on printed items.
3. Study travellers’ behaviour to provide adequate services – Research showed that 45% of people were using the tube map to navigate above ground. The Legible London map system is designed to complement and take over from the tube map when walking.
4. Carefully analyse what makes a town or city truly legible – Mapping and signing are an important part of this. But other elements are important too, such as building design and urban form, street layout, lighting, use of street furniture and public art.
5. Provide user-friendly information for citizens – Pedestrians should be able to get to grips with the system quickly and remember how it works. This is enabled with as few signs as possible, an appropriate balance between consistency and predictability on the one hand and the reflection of local character and diversity on the other, and a progressive disclosure, with just enough information and not too much, encouraging ‘mental mapping’ by connecting areas, regions and transport systems.

In advance of launching its pilot wayfinding program, this case study summarises early planning decisions and learnings. This case study was one step in the development of what London strived for – a world-class standard for wayfinding systems.

Evidence of success/impact

According to applied information, Legible London contributed to: 

• 5% measurable increase in walking
• 60% decrease in people feeling lost
• 16% time-saving improvement for pedestrian journeys 
• 66% increase in user knowledge of local area context

Key lessons learned

• Technical aspects: A consistent approach to pedestrian wayfinding needs agreed conventions (naming and placement policies) and interventions (maps and signs).
• Core requirements: An efficient wayfinding system helps pedestrians plan journeys, build and reinforce an effective mental map of the city.
• Suitable format: A sustainable wayfinding system entails a common, constantly updated central information system, flexible enough for everything from maps and signs to websites, and suitable for local implementation.