Delivering World Class Public Transport Interchange

Interchange Best Practice Guidelines Update 2009

Transport for London’s Interchange Best Practice Guidelines, 2009 – written and produced by Steer Davies Gleave – were launched by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and Minister for London, Tessa Jowell, at the official opening of the new Northern ticket hall at King’s Cross St Pancras Underground Station on Sunday 29th November 2009.

Improved public transport interchange that enables better integration of London’s public transport is a key element of the Mayor of London’s transport priorities. Integration is about making public transport more attractive to existing and potential passengers and about how the transport system, including interchanges, can contribute to the achievement of broader economic, social, and environmental objectives.

Why did the 2001 guidelines require updating?

The 2001 guidelines document helped raise awareness of the need for improved interchange across the capital and set an initial benchmark for interchange design. It highlighted the need to simplify the passenger experience, to provide integration across the modes and to minimise the perceived interchange penalties of time and convenience.

However, with one of the oldest public transport networks in the world, and a densely developed mature urban environment, eradicating these barriers remains challenging and problematic. In addition, interchange locations are frequently physically constrained, and linking passenger facilities can be costly and difficult.

The last seven years have also seen significant structural, organisational and legislative changes that meant the guidelines required a full review and update to meet with raised expectations and improved standards.

What will the updated guidelines deliver?

Public transport can add real value to the city, and interchanges can play a key role in achieving this added value, benefiting passengers, transport operators, users of associated non-transport facilities and services, as well as to providers, owners and developers of transport interchanges and their surrounding areas.

The updated Interchange Best Practice Guidelines 2009 have been developed to provide a springboard for London to achieve this added value and to further raise the standard of advice and guidance to those within Transport for London and their delivery partners, including the London boroughs.

The guidelines are available in two parts:

• A printed quick reference guide – setting out top level principles and the key questions related to interchange design
• A website tfl.gov.uk/interchange – with detailed guidance on each key question, case studies, and links to existing detailed design guidance from TfL and other bodies

The updated guidelines:

• Provide a practical tool for those involved in the planning, design and operation of transport interchanges;
• Provide a framework for evaluation of the quality of existing and proposed interchanges, based on established appraisal techniques;
• Raise awareness of TfL’s understanding of best practice, encourage its promotion and adoption by all parties;
• Assist in the preparation of broader planning policies such as Local Development Frameworks and Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks;
• Act as a portal to access useful and related best practice information and guidance; and
• Ultimately, improve the quality of planning, design and operation of interchanges.

In developing the guidance a comprehensive review of current guidance and policy related to interchange was undertaken; 1:1 meetings with key stakeholders across London including Design for London, Borough Partnerships, IDAG, CABE, DfT, TfL Directorates took place; and interchange facilities in key UK and European cities including Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Berlin, Madrid and Amsterdam were reviewed.