Priority seats on the Underground are getting a makeover after research showed a quarter of passengers feel awkward about offering their chair to someone who might need it more.
The seats, which are meant to be offered to pregnant women, disabled and elderly people, are being covered in new fabric on the Jubilee line, bearing messages such as “Be prepared to offer this seat”, “Not all disabilities are visible” and “Someone may need this seat more”.
It comes after a Transport for London survey of 1,000 customers which also found a third of passengers believe that they should only offer their seat if they are in a priority seat.
It is part of an initiative by TfL called Priority Seating Week, which aims to remind commuters to “look up” and consider others when travelling.
The announcement marks the second anniversary of the “Please Offer Me a Seat” badge, designed to make travelling easier for people with conditions that makes standing difficult.
More than 44,000 badges have been issued.
Mark Evers, TfL’s chief customer officer, said: “While priority seats are highlighted as they are within close proximity to the doors and have assistance poles, we would encourage customers to give up any seat if someone needs it more.”
