please empty your brain below
The cycle map almost works- if it didn't make up some of the cycle routes. It's misnumbered some and included ones that are still only proposed, so I can't see how a new commuter would find that helpful.

PJ | 10.01.22 - 7:19 a.m. | #

Excellent analysis and a superb simple bus diagram

DavidC | 10.01.22 - 7:33 a.m. | #

I think you're a bit harsh on the bus map. If you're usual route is Brixton to Bank, changing at Stockwell, for example, then it's useful to know that the 35 will take you all the way, rather than only showing the options that involve going half way on the tube then changing onto the 733 at Kennington, and this reducing overcrowding

Ian | 10.01.22 - 7:34 a.m. | #

The problem with the bus map is that it attempts to squeeze in far too many "but what if you live at X and want to get to Y?"s.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 10.01.22 - 7:59 a.m. | #

Interesting idea you propose as an alternative, which is similar to the style RATP produce for Paris. See the example on this page, which I think TfL should borrow as an idea

Tim Burns | 10.01.22 - 7:59 a.m. | #

On the bus map the key has put the two most useful routes at the top - 733 & 133 - but no one looked at the colours used and thought to match the most prominent to the most useful.

Dashed line for the closed section of the Northern Line, National Rail also has dashed lines - but these are open, and bus routes another type of dashed line

Still Anon | 10.01.22 - 8:14 a.m. | #

I too think you are being too harsh in relation to the bus map. TfL know where most people are travelling to and from on their network and the level of interchange between bus and tube and tube and tube and have tried to address those flows on the map. There will be fewer trains on the Morden branch than normal and hence why the 155 is promoted, the N155 has some overlapping times with when the tube is running.

As Ian has stated quite a few people travel from Brixton on the Victoria line to Stockwell transferring to the Bank branch and the 133 is already a busy bus route.

As a transport planner the last thing you want is for everyone to continue doing what they were doing before and swamping a rail replacement bus service when you can divert them via other routes that may have some capacity to handle them.

Which is probably the reason the 733 has not been so heavily promoted - it could just not cope with normal peak time passenger flows even during Covid.

kerspatula | 10.01.22 - 8:24 a.m. | #

The tube map shows the Monument - Bank link as open, but will access through the Northern platform and the sub-surface connections be possible with the Northern being a worksite? If you travel on the District to Monument will you be able to change to the W&C, or exit to Cornhill? The map is silent.

Steve | 10.01.22 - 8:31 a.m. | #

The bus stop changes webpage also says Hammersmith Bridge is closed to pedestrians 🤔

Wolf | 10.01.22 - 8:50 a.m. | #

Your graphic clearly shows the key alternative routes, but somewhere in TfL Towers somebody will be saying "I wouldn't have done it like that" !

Petras409 | 10.01.22 - 8:59 a.m. | #

There is a case to run a full service on the ‘drain’ whilst all this is going on.

Peter | 10.01.22 - 9:06 a.m. | #

Funny you should blog about this today. I have just now received through my letterbox the 'for customers in south London' leaflet. A level of outreach I didn't expect.

Whatever limitations Thameslink might have, your claim that it 'doesn't actually connect with anywhere along the southern end of the Northern line' is not as fatal as you seem to think. Morden South, South Merton and Tooting are all practical alternatives to the Northern line for people that live in those areas.

South London customer | 10.01.22 - 9:29 a.m. | #

Your map is far better than the mess that was officially produced.

It’s quite similar in style to the maps that RATP produce for Paris when parts of a line are closed - these maps are smartly designed and clearly show the information they represent. It’s not exactly hard either, I could knock one up in a couple of hours.

Jacques | 10.01.22 - 10:27 a.m. | #

The south London version has been distributed in parts of Putney, a long way from the Bank branch. TfL must think there are a lot of Putney to Borough commuters, as that appears to be the only sensible journey from Putney, East Putney or Putney Bridge that is changed by the closure.

ap | 10.01.22 - 10:43 a.m. | #

I agree Peter, it's ridiculous that an alternative way of accessing Bank (the drain) isn't running a normal service

Mikey C | 10.01.22 - 10:58 a.m. | #

Impressive that RATP has information about the closure of a relatively minor Metro line in English (and links to 'tourist information' in 8 other languages).

Peter | 10.01.22 - 12:31 p.m. | #

SteveH, not sure, but the Monument-Bank link comes in two separate routes: the original one via the Northern Line, and the newer one via the DLR section of the station. I strongly suspect the latter, at least, will be open.

It's depressing how an organization that was once a world leader in graphic design and creation of diagrammatic map planners has fallen so low. TfL's approach to presenting information comprehensibly and at a glance gets worse from year to year, and has done for at least 15 years or so by now.

Have a look at the maps of the (still rapidly expanding) Moscow Metro to see an approach that seems to work well. If only there was some imagination - and above all - concern for clarity (which means stripping out the superfluous, especially) - in London...

Dominic H | 10.01.22 - 12:47 p.m. | #

I like that you call out the 8-page leaflet being in colour.

Josh | 10.01.22 - 1:06 p.m. | #

Mikey C, Peter - The only way to get the Waterloo & City line to operate a full service when drivers are off sick or isolating is to reduce the service on the Central line as they share drivers.

Whilst this appears at first glance to be a no-brainer, one has to bear in mind a lot of people will elect to use the Northern line to Tottenham Court Road and change to the Central line to get to Bank.

Also probably far better to have a guaranteed route on the Central line rather than attempt to run the Waterloo & City line which takes very few staff absences to make the service erratic or non-existent.

Pedantic of Purley | 10.01.22 - 2:12 p.m. | #

Perhaps the cycle map is an internal document that's just been cropped and released to the public. It sounds like the kind of short-cut they might take.

anon | 10.01.22 - 2:31 p.m. | #

I can see why the 35 is shown as serving Brixton for the same reason as stated by others. On the other hand, why does it connect to Clapham Junction but not to Clapham Common, an actual Northern Line station?

X-Plaistow | 10.01.22 - 2:48 p.m. | #

Thameslink to Blackfriars or Farringdon is the life-saver for us. Slightly odd that the TFL map doesn't bother showing the stations south of LJ.

Will H. | 10.01.22 - 2:51 p.m. | #

Even sillier, on three different buses passing London Bridge over the weekend and today I heard announcements that the Northern Line IS closed.
I also walked past a couple of the entrances to the station and saw no obvious messages displayed to passers-by about the closure, although there may have been something further inside.

JohnA | 10.01.22 - 4:01 p.m. | #

There are north of London leaflets too. We have them at Kentish Town and Tufnell Park stations. I want a south of London version for my collection though.

Rob | Homepage | 10.01.22 - 5:05 p.m. | #

From TfL's press release announcing the Bank branch closure last November...

"The Waterloo & City line is returning to a full weekday service from 22 November, providing a vital link to the City and extra options for customers travelling during the closure."

Alas, times change.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 10.01.22 - 5:16 p.m. | #

I agree the bus map is truly dreadful. I've got a headache just trying to unpick it, and it contains some "ideas" which are just going to frustrate people.

For example the 196 is a perfectly good bus for local journeys but it has a meandering route that will waste the time of anyone tempted to use it as an alternative to the Northern Line. You may as well walk.

And the 133 might not have a stop called "Oval Station" but it stops behind St Mark's Church which is literally over the road.

As ever, I detest the modern trend of providing disinformation in order to manage capacity. It's a form of deception and IMO undermines trust in the bodies that do it.

Yes I know crowds have to be managed, but tell us what all the routes are and tell us the ones that are going to be busy. It's not hard. Be honest and give us all the facts, not a half-baked manipulative deception.

Rant over.

Paul | 10.01.22 - 6:10 p.m. | #

I wonder if TfL are aware how the line closure will impact NHS staff in Guy's Hospital. The staff cannot work from home nor can they avoid peak periods if they have fixed shifts. Part time staff, who don't require travelcards or weekly capping, will pay extra if they mix tube with national rail or buses.

MA | 10.01.22 - 7:10 p.m. | #

Indeed MA, an issue with the London ticketing system is that it really encourages you to either use rail (Underground, Overgound, NR, DLR) via contactless/Oyster payment (especially if you can avoid Z1) OR to use buses (hopper tickets, daily capping £4.65), but not use both.

Mikey C | 10.01.22 - 7:21 p.m. | #

Covid related driver shortages are only a short term issue.

I'd like to think London has gone past its Omicron peak now, and that within a few weeks, staff sickness should be down to levels where a full service on the W&C can be operated, AND promoted, especially off peak. After all for someone coming up from Morden on the Northern Line, the quickest route to Bank is changing to the W&C at Waterloo.

Mikey C | 10.01.22 - 7:26 p.m. | #

TfL have ignored the Equality Act. By cluttering up the map with the wholly unnecessary Key and colours that can be hard to distinguish, they've prevented colour blind people finding out the bus route numbers they need. How hard would it be to print the bus numbers next to the bus routes?

There are also several other ambiguities if you're pedantic enough to take the symbols at face value.
● Is the interchange blob at Monument greyed out to match the faded District Line, or does it mean both interchange routes are shut? It also implies that you can't change from the Central Line to bus 35.
● Similar confusion suggesting that Thameslink passengers can't interchange to anything at London Bridge.
● The red cross in the Kennington blob implies passengers can't change to buses 155, N155, 333 or 35.

Far better if TfL just did things DG's sensible way.

Gerry | 11.01.22 - 12:19 a.m. | #

How many drivers does it actually take to run the W & C line?

Peter | 11.01.22 - 10:22 a.m. | #

What a mess TfL have made of things once again for the hard pressed travelling public.

Tones | 11.01.22 - 5:48 p.m. | #











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