How Effective are Coloured Zones?

[centraltrains]

Birmingham New Street has a Red, Green & Blue Zone to help identify where to go, to get to the correct platform segment to catch your train.
This has been in place since the refurbished station opened, but has more recently been enhanced with departure boards gaining appropriately coloured LEDs to indicate zones, and large coloured vinyl stickers by ticket barriers.

A lot of effort has obviously gone into this - but how effective is it?
I'm a regular commuter, I know my platforms - even if I take a leisure journey I'll just use the numeric platform number system and knowledge of where to go, ignoring the colours - but I doubt I'm the target market for this signage scheme.

I was wondering if you or anyone you know has found this scheme helpful, and if there are any other stations which use colour coded zones?
It's not something which is implemented in mobile/web departure applications - I wonder if usage would be effected if it was?

 

[DarloRich]

No - I don't use them but I know people who do not travel as often as I do do use the colour coding.

People here wont use them as they will tend to be more familiar with the layout of the station.

 

[py_megapixel]

I usually just head for the long interchange area that serves all platforms. I can't remember what colour zone it is.

Even if they only help a few people, though, I think they're a good idea. After all if you're redecorating the station anyway they surely cost almost nothing to implement.

 

[507020]

I have been to Birmingham New Street twice and I have no idea how many colours there are, what they mean or my way around the station. That said, I always go out of my way to avoid changing at or exiting New Street. Most often when I’ve been to Birmingham I’ve either changed at Smethwick Galton Bridge for Moor Street or Snow Hill or gone all the way through to International and when I’ve been elsewhere I’ve always changed at Stafford or Trent Valley stations, or both, to avoid New Street. I don’t know why they don’t try and spread connecting passengers around the West Midlands like this because it would be more effective than colour coding.

 

[Ashley Hill]

People seldom used the gold,pink and blue zones when InterCity tried it.

 

[Geezertronic]

Not too clear what the zones mean at Birmingham New Street, I just know that it is easier to change platforms via the B exits as you may have to exit and re-enter via the ticket barriers if you use the A exits to change platforms

 

[Fidelis]

I usually just head for the long interchange area that serves all platforms. I can't remember what colour zone it is.

Even if they only help a few people, though, I think they're a good idea. After all if you're redecorating the station anyway they surely cost almost nothing to implement.

The long interchange area young mention has access to all platforms and is at the "B" end of the platforms and labelled as "Red Lounge" it has two seating areas (lounges) with PIS and a dedicated separate lounge for those PRM passengers which includes assisted travel personnel.

 

[MaidaVale]

Whenever I pass through New Street I just tend to ignore the zones as much as possible and just head straight to the correct platform, I think the zones cause more confusion than they solve to be honest, I've seen people standing confused whilst staring at the "Go to Red zone" screens and then just looking around in bewilderment.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No - I don't use them but I know people who do not travel as often as I do do use the colour coding.

People here wont use them as they will tend to be more familiar with the layout of the station.

Indeed. I voted "no" as I know the station's layout so don't need them. They are almost certainly going to be useful to occasional users, by contrast.

I have been to Birmingham New Street twice and I have no idea how many colours there are, what they mean or my way around the station. That said, I always go out of my way to avoid changing at or exiting New Street. Most often when I’ve been to Birmingham I’ve either changed at Smethwick Galton Bridge for Moor Street or Snow Hill or gone all the way through to International and when I’ve been elsewhere I’ve always changed at Stafford or Trent Valley stations, or both, to avoid New Street. I don’t know why they don’t try and spread connecting passengers around the West Midlands like this because it would be more effective than colour coding.

I really like "new New St" - the facilities are excellent and the atrium is a nice place to spend time. I used to avoid it, now I sometimes actively go that way to stop off for food or similar. It's a bit like Heathrow in terms of the level of "turnaround" from old to new.

 

[py_megapixel]

I think the zones cause more confusion than they solve to be honest, I've seen people standing confused whilst staring at the "Go to Red zone" screens and then just looking around in bewilderment.

You see that at every departure board at every busy station. Even ones without coloured zones.

The only cases which I could really see causing confusion are either people not knowing what it means at all (easily solved with additions to signage, but anyway people will just ignore it if they don't know what it means so it isn't actually causing confusion) or thinking it refers to segments of the platform like it does at every other station which uses the word "zone" (which means it would probably be better to have stuck with calling them "lounges" - why didn't they do that?).

 

[jfollows]

If I'm changing trains at New Street all I really want to know is the platform for my departing train. I'm not looking for a zone of any colour, and I don't understand what they are supposed to be, nor am I interested in finding out. I tend to stick to being on a platform, weather permitting in the open air, at the Wolverhampton end of the station within easy access of the footbridge for when I discover I need to be on a different platform.

 

[Deafdoggie]

easy access of the footbridge for when I discover I need to be on a different platform

And that is why they encourage you to the lounge area until platform confirmed.
But you can't help some people.

 

[LethalDrizzle]

Not used them myself. I still find New Street sufficiently disorientating that anything other than "look for the correct number and letter, then go there" just adds to the confusion. As Britain's finest contemporary shopping-centre-topped maze I can't fault the place ... as a station it's horrid.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Not used them myself. I still find New Street sufficiently disorientating that anything other than "look for the correct number and letter, then go there" just adds to the confusion. As Britain's finest contemporary shopping-centre-topped maze I can't fault the place ... as a station it's horrid.

If it confuses you that much, just totally ignore the A end and always head for the B end (red zone), you can access all platforms from there. It is the original bridge from the old station.

 

[DarloRich]

as a station it's horrid.

no it isn't. it is a million times better than it used to be. I really don't understand the hatred on this board for the place!

 

[Retorus]

I have been to Birmingham New Street twice and I have no idea how many colours there are, what they mean or my way around the station. That said, I always go out of my way to avoid changing at or exiting New Street. Most often when I’ve been to Birmingham I’ve either changed at Smethwick Galton Bridge for Moor Street or Snow Hill or gone all the way through to International and when I’ve been elsewhere I’ve always changed at Stafford or Trent Valley stations, or both, to avoid New Street. I don’t know why they don’t try and spread connecting passengers around the West Midlands like this because it would be more effective than colour coding.

Why? It's an excellent station nowadays.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I've voted "Yes". (I note that there wasn't wasn't an "I perversely ignore them and if my train is indicated from Platform 3A in the Blue Zone deliberately go to the Yellow Zone, descend to Platform 10A and stand there breathing in the CrossCountry diesel fumes until I've missed it and then complain bitterly" option. That seems to disenfranchise a significant portion of the RailUK Forums demographic.)

 

[stuu]

When I first went there after the rebuild, I was slightly confused by the word "lounge", as when you get there it is basically a corridor, with a bit of seating here and there. Perhaps "concourse" would have been a better word to choose? But nit-picking aside it makes sense to direct people in a clear and non-ambiguous way.

If you know the station you don't need the way-finding anyway, apart from platform number, so it's irrelevant to you

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've voted "Yes". (I note that there wasn't wasn't an "I perversely ignore them and if my train is indicated from Platform 3A in the Blue Zone deliberately go to the Yellow Zone, descend to Platform 10A and stand there breathing in the CrossCountry diesel fumes until I've missed it and then complain bitterly" option. That seems to disenfranchise a significant portion of the RailUK Forums demographic.)

To be fair there are more reasons not to do that (other than potential lung cancer from the fumes) - if the fans kick off, you can't hear anything, including platform alteration announcements.

 

[507020]

Why? It's an excellent station nowadays.

If I’m on any service that runs through Birmingham New Street, then I would much rather change at WHICHEVER station in the open air it goes to.

 

[1955LR]

I did a straw poll of people in my walking group near Hereford and asked how ,if they travelled up to Birmingham , was their experience of New Street since the revamp and generally it was in the negative. Most had problems navigating to the platforms. The coloured lounge areas seemed to confuse. I would add we are virtually all past 50 years and most are not regular passengers. I also head for the B end to change platforms as having to often pass through two gated areas in the lounge area is at best a nuisance . Some said it had put them off travelling to Birmingham by train.

 

[43096]

no it isn't. it is a million times better than it used to be. I really don't understand the hatred on this board for the place!

Just because it’s better than before doesn’t make it good enough. The phrase “you can’t polish a turd” has never been more appropriate.

 

[DarloRich]

generally it was in the negative.

Some said it had put them off travelling to Birmingham by train.

Really? Better commercial/refreshment facilities, lighter platforms, better PA, more comfortable waiting areas, wider circulating spaces, better lifts, escalators (!) wider stairs, easier accessibility, seemingly more visible staff, faster entrance and exits and easier access to the city and shopping centre have all been provided to improve New Street but what puts people off are coloured lounges? Really?

It is millions of times better than the old dingy New Street!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Really? Better commercial/refreshment facilities, lighter platforms, better PA, more comfortable waiting areas, wider circulating spaces, better lifts, escalators (!) wider stairs, easier accessibility, seemingly more visible staff, faster entrance and exits and easier access to the city and shopping centre have all been provided to improve New Street but what puts people off are coloured lounges? Really?

It is millions of times better than the old dingy New Street!

Well, quite - I think it's great. Not perfect, but a pretty good job within the constraints of the site and existing buildings.

 

[Brooke]

I travel periodically to/from New Street for business meetings.

Unlike many it seems, I really like the station and it’s airport-like experience!

That said, I’ve never really understood what the zones were about - I only really know them as something that normally turns up on the platform. (Stand in zone 1 for coach H or whatever!)

 

[DarloRich]

Just because it’s better than before doesn’t make it good enough. The phrase “you can’t polish a turd” has never been more appropriate.

I dont understand. Could you explain why it isnt good enough? It isnt perfect but is much better than it was.

From my point of view the turd may be a bit less smelly and that seems a positive.