Video: Standing On The Right AND Left Of Holborn's Escalators

By Geoff Marshall Last edited 95 months ago
Video: Standing On The Right AND Left Of Holborn's Escalators

Standing on the right of the escalators is a rite of passage. It's what all Londoners know is the correct thing to do, and we tut and sigh heavily at anyone who breaks the rule.

Except that now at Holborn, TfL is experimenting by getting people to stand on the left as well as the right. And before you spit at your screen — research shows that standing on the left carries more people and eases congestion.

But hang on. Logically, standing on an escalator takes more time than if you walk up it. "So how can this be faster?" you ask. Well, the escalator part isn't faster — but if you spend a long time bunched up at the bottom of the escalator waiting to get ON, the overall time you spend exiting the station could be, and often is, longer.

We've put a POLL into the video: click on the (i) in the top right to vote whether you think standing on the left is a good idea or not.

Other stations where this might be rolled out in the future are: Angel, Green Park, Highgate, Hyde Park Corner, Kentish Town, Leicester Square, London Bridge and Marylebone.

You have been warned.

Last Updated 24 April 2016