Request ID: FOI-1022-2324 Date published: 17 July 2023
You asked
Please could you provide me with copies of all documents concerning the use of the 'Hold the Handrail' signs which are at the top of the stairwell on London Busses. Please could you provide me with copies of any research undertaken about the effectiveness of these signs and any evidence of their effectiveness so far (or details of when the evidence will be available).
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-1022-2324
Thank you for your request which we received on 2 July 2023.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. You asked:
Please could you provide me with copies of all documents concerning the use of the 'Hold the Handrail' signs which are at the top of the stairwell on London Buses. Please could you provide me with copies of any research undertaken about the effectiveness of these signs and any evidence of their effectiveness so far (or details of when the evidence will be available).
Unfortunately, we don’t hold the information you have requested. This is because researching the direct impact of advertising on public transport safety behaviour is very difficult. We cannot measure what doesn’t happen, for example people not being careless, not rushing etc – i.e.. the positive behaviour encouraged by our signs/posters/advertising such as ‘hold the handrail’. Behaviours that are unsafe are almost all unconscious or automatic, and are therefore seldom reported accurately by people.
However, we can and do measure how many people see the safety campaign and what they make of it. We do this via our customer survey which tracks the responses and opinions of a representative sample of people who are exposed to all our campaign messages. This tracker provides us with quarterly reports – the last of which shows that:
50% of people recognise the public transport safety campaign, and
Of those who use public transport and recognise the campaign, 74% agree it makes them feel they need to be more careful on public transport.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Eva Hextall FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
