Hudson Payne and Iddiols – LONDON BUS MAP 1990

Description

This qualitative study (Feb 1990) explored how travellers use and view the London Bus Map (LBM). Three group discussions (Romford, Hounslow, Enfield) with 18 participants (mixed ages, many non-car users) found most people primarily use buses for local, short trips (work, shopping, visiting), with occasional longer or central-London journeys. Nearly all had local bus maps and timetables, which are used more frequently and valued for town-centre guidance; the LBM is kept as a comprehensive reference and used infrequently for planning occasional cross-suburb or central-London trips. Respondents found the LBM comprehensive but cluttered—print size and route labeling (numbers not placed on roads) reduce usability in central areas. They wanted frequency, first/last bus and days-not-running info, and inclusion of other operators and special services. Recommendations: better targeted distribution (can be sent with local map requests), modest cover charge (~30p), and a preferred quartered format focusing on central London with suburban overlap while retaining current information.