Horne – THE LATEST UNDERGROUND DIAGRAM – A FALLEN ICON 2018

Description

The author criticizes the December 2018 Underground pocket diagram for becoming overloaded and inconsistent, highlighting a new ‘10‑minute’ interchange symbol that links nearby stations by walking time. While the idea can improve connectivity (especially for Overground links), selection of included interchanges is puzzling and arbitrary, and some obvious links (Euston Square/Warren Street, Heathrow transfers, Southwark/Waterloo East) are misrepresented or omitted. Historical attempts to depict out‑of‑station interchanges are recounted, showing long-standing vacillation over presentation. The map now squeezes more than twice as many stations into an almost unchanged card size, forcing tiny type, confusing symbols (including multiple accessibility grades), and loss of Beck’s simplicity. The author urges a rethink: consider separate Underground‑only and comprehensive TfL/all‑modes maps (or larger formats), clearer depiction of bus and orbital/rail links, better typography and geometry, and wider use of the all‑services London connections map to restore usability. A responding designer laments corporate constraints, poor typography (New Johnston) and creeping visual noise