A new map has been designed for the London Tube, highlighting which stations have important features. It reinvents the iconic map to show essential features that help ensure everyone can get around.
Snowball designed the map to show TfL users which London Underground stations have step-free access, helping disabled passengers plan and navigate their journeys around London. There are 93 step-free Tube stations, more than 60 step-free Overground stations and full step-free access on the DLR, trams and Elizabeth line. But journey planning for the 13.2% of Londoners who identify as disabled can still be complicated. Simon Sansome, who is a wheelchair user himself, created Snowball to make accessibility more accessible and integrated for disabled people. He said: “The London Tube map has helped millions find their way around the capital, and now it’s doing the same for the disabled community.”
“We’ve designed it so anyone can instantly see which stations are fully accessible, which may require assistance, and how to plan with confidence from start to finish.”
The map has a clear, easy-to-read symbol system that uses a colour ranking system to show how accessible each station actually is for users.
Stations marked in green offer full step-free access from street to train, while stations in orange indicate that some assistance from staff may be required.
It also shows airport access points, interchanges with London’s bus network, and the IFS Cloud Cable Car. All station opening times are displayed, allowing users to plan their journeys with maximum flexibility.
The Snowball app, which can be downloaded from the Apple and Google Play Stores, also includes a traffic light-style accessibility system that rates each station based on real-world experience.
These ratings were created by Snowball founder Simon Sansome and his team, who visited and assessed every station to ensure the ranking system’s accuracy.
