Ticket hall signing
Overview
Ticket machines
Ticket window signs
Information poster units
Dedicated gateline
Ticket gate penalty warning signs
Gateline signing
Lift signing
DLR station entrance and ticket hall signing requirements
Overground ticket halls
Overview
On entering a station, customers need a range of pre-travel information, logically laid out and accessible. A Tube Map must be clearly visible, showing the network of lines and interchanges, to enable the customer to establish or confirm their route. For details of the information poster requirements at stations, refer to section 8.1.1. Real-time information has been identified as particularly important in developing the customer’s confidence in the service we offer.
Before the customer has purchased a ticket, there should be clear confirmation of the Underground lines served by the station. This will normally take the form of ceiling-mounted signing facing the customer on entry to the ticket hall. For clarity, platform numbers and directions should not be displayed at this point. Where ticket-buying facilities are not facing the customer on entry, overhead signing should also incorporate directions to the ticket office and machines. When establishing the positions of such signs, the use of the reverse face must be considered for display of exit information as detailed in Emergency Exits [link]. To maintain clarity, only primary directional signing and real-time information indicators should be ceiling-mounted within ticket halls. No ceiling-mounted commercial signing may be displayed, unless approved by LUL.
Ticket Machines
Over each bank of ticket machines, signing should be fitted, spanning the entire width and containing the word ‘Tickets’ as illustrated. The only other elements which may appear on these signs are the tickets pictogram (refer to section 1.6 of LUL Signage Manual), or directions to additional ticket/change-giving facilities.
Ticket Window signs
Ticket window signs are mounted above the window as an illuminated, triangular, projecting sign. Where appropriate, this may be integrated into the architectural treatment of the window area. Three typical window messages are illustrated opposite. These signs must be switchable (obscure when unlit) to make it clear which window positions are open. On some recent stations, following the Jubilee line extension design, the ticket window text has been incorporated into the glass wall panels over the windows, which are then illuminated from the reverse. All vinyl labels associated with ticket-buying conditions and instructions (see photograph) are covered in the ‘LUL Station Presentations Handbook’, together with ordering details.
Information poster units
Where possible, information poster units such as the Tube Map, timetables etc should be grouped together. This should be headed up by a panel spanning the entire extent of the frames, and bear the word ‘Information’, together with the standard information pictogram. Where poster frames are fitted in such a way that customers generally approach from the side, a projecting information flag sign should be used, fitted centrally above poster frames.
Information posters on the DLR are displayed in specially designed units as shown. There is a minimum requirement for six double royal panels and two quad royal panels at concourse level. At platform level there is a minimum requirement for four double royal panels and a separate quad royal panel.
Dedicated gateline
Where access to lines is split within the unpaid side of the ticket hall, i.e. where access to lines is via dedicated gatelines, line diagram signs must be fitted to enable customers to confirm their target destination before passing through the gatelines.
Ticket gate penalty warning signs
Where ticket gates are fitted, ‘penalty fares’ signing is incorporated within the gate structure as shown in the photographs. Such signing and ordering details for Underground stations are covered in the ‘LUL Stations Presentation Handbook’, which also covers associated labels for manual gates. No additional penalty fares signing is permitted. Where gates do not exist, standard penalty fares signs should be ceiling-mounted over the gateline, conveying the same information as shown. These signs may be combined with line direction information if required.
On the DLR, penalty fare notices are to be displayed on platform line diagrams. (See Platform signing [link])
Gateline signing
For long gatelines in busy stations, a switchable illuminated overhead gantry may be fitted, to amplify the gate conditions from a distance using the same arrow/cross symbols. These should be electronically controlled from the gates and must switch in conjunction with the gates. They must also fail safe in the event of the gate release plunger being operated, displaying arrows over the exit paths from all gates.
Lift signing
Where a station is fully accessible, it is not always obvious that the route through a station may involve several lifts. Customers may assume one lift will go from street to all platform levels, which is unlikely. Unless a lift serves all areas, signing over lifts should include supplementary text showing the areas served generally as shown. Where there are several lifts within a complex interchange station, the lifts should be letter coded (as shown). As detailed in section 10.18. Line names should be used with line colour bands for clarity. Care must be taken to ensure that on exit from the lift, signing is immediately visible to continue
the journey.
Summary of DLR station entrance and ticket hall signing requirements
At station entrances, the following are compulsory:
• A totem
• A station fascia sign
• A Quad Royal map with information panel header
• A timetable with information panel header
• A circuit poster frame
If space allows then additional circuit poster frames are to be deployed.
All posters, maps and timetable frames, along with information panel headers, may be free standing or wall mounted.The positioning of all elements is not fixed, as station entrances vary. However, all poster frames outside stations must be positioned as close as possible to the entrance, and be clearly visible when the station is closed.
Detailed plans should be developed for each site in consultation with TfL Corporate Design and London Overground. For more detailed information relating to poster frame requirements please refer to the London Overground poster frame standard (tfl.gov.uk/corporatedesign).
Overground Ticket Halls
London Overground ticket halls come in various shapes and sizes. Their signage and poster requirements are therefore varied. The compulsory list of requirements for poster frames within a ticket hall is as follows:
• London Connections Quad Royal
• Engineering works Double Royal
• Timetable Double Royal
• Local information display Quad Royal
• Customer Contacts Double Royal
• Penalty fares Double Royal
• Double Royal leaflet rack
• A-Z posters Double Royal
• Circuit Double Royal
• Ticket office opening times Double Royal
If space allows then a Double Royal local use poster frame is to be deployed.
All signage should be appropriate to the requirements of the station. Again, detailed plans should be developed for each site in consultation with TfL Corporate Design and London Overground.
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