It’s Priority Seating Week on London transport

Transport for London (TfL) is launching its first ‘Priority Seating Week’ campaign to make travelling easier for people who find it difficult to stand.

The week marks the one year anniversary of the ‘Please Offer Me A Seat’ badge – with more than 30,000 have been issued to disabled customers and those with invisible conditions since the initiative was launched.

Specially designed to make travelling easier for people who find it difficult to stand, the free badge and card helps customers who otherwise struggle to get a seat on public transport as their need is not immediately obvious.

To help improve the awareness of the importance of priority seats for people less able to stand, ‘Priority Seating Week’ will see new posters featuring customers, including pregnant women and people with visible and non-visible impairments, talking about the difference a seat makes to them, often having an impact on the rest of their day.

Newly designed Priority Seating signs are also being displayed on selected London Overground and London Underground trains, asking customers to consider others when using the seats with the aim of encouraging everyone to think about their fellow commuters who may have a greater need to sit.

TfL has worked with customers to launch the campaign, including Dr Amit Patel, a passenger who has had bad experiences when travelling with his guide dog Kika. Dr Patel has recorded a special announcement asking fellow passengers to offer their seat if they are asked as the need for one is not always obvious.

The announcement will be heard in Tube stations throughout the week.