Inconsistent escalator standing side in stations

[Warrior2852]

I've noticed the rail network seems to be inconsistent on whether people should stand on the left or right of escalators at stations. For instance, London generally uses on the right, but Edinburgh uses the left. Glasgow meanwhile mixes and matches with National Rail on the left but the Subway on the right! This inconsistency only ever seems to cause confusion, especially when you get people used to the likes of London turning up to a station that uses the left but assuming it's the right so you have both sides used by locals and visitors. Why have things not been standardised across the UK's rail network? The current inconsistency of some stations in the country using the left hand side just seems to create more congestion from the confusion.

 

[Tester]

We don't have a monopoly!

In Tokyo one stands on the left to protect your heart

In Osaka one stands on the right to protect your wallet

(Old Tokyo joke against materialistic Osakans!)

 

[takno]

I've noticed the rail network seems to be inconsistent on whether people should stand on the left or right of escalators at stations. For instance, London generally uses on the right, but Edinburgh uses the left. Glasgow meanwhile mixes and matches with National Rail on the left but the Subway on the right! This inconsistency only ever seems to cause confusion, especially when you get people used to the likes of London turning up to a station that uses the left but assuming it's the right so you have both sides used by locals and visitors. Why have things not been standardised across the UK's rail network? The current inconsistency of some stations in the country using the left hand side just seems to create more congestion from the confusion.

I'm fairly sure you're just supposed to stand on the escalators in Edinburgh, and in most other places for that matter. The side you find yourself able to barge past on may just vary based on who got on the escalator in front of you.

 

[The exile]

I've noticed the rail network seems to be inconsistent on whether people should stand on the left or right of escalators at stations. For instance, London generally uses on the right, but Edinburgh uses the left. Glasgow meanwhile mixes and matches with National Rail on the left but the Subway on the right! This inconsistency only ever seems to cause confusion, especially when you get people used to the likes of London turning up to a station that uses the left but assuming it's the right so you have both sides used by locals and visitors. Why have things not been standardised across the UK's rail network? The current inconsistency of some stations in the country using the left hand side just seems to create more congestion from the confusion.

Think the only place there’s actually a convention with signs is London (if others have appeared elsewhere, then I suspect it’s recent - indeed escalators other than at underground (note - small u) stations are a relatively recent phenomenon.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm fairly sure you're just supposed to stand on the escalators in Edinburgh, and in most other places for that matter. The side you find yourself able to barge past on may just vary based on who got on the escalator in front of you.

Classically Merseyrail also just had everyone stand, but in recent years the London practice of stand on the right and walk on the left seems to have been informally adopted. I guess people are more hurried these days.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

but in recent years the London practice of stand on the right and walk on the left seems to have been informally adopted.

I generally see that everywhere, not just rail stations

 

[cool110]

Classically Merseyrail also just had everyone stand, but in recent years the London practice of stand on the right and walk on the left seems to have been informally adopted. I guess people are more hurried these days.

Not really, it's been signposted at the underground stations for a very long time.

 

[Warrior2852]

I'm fairly sure you're just supposed to stand on the escalators in Edinburgh, and in most other places for that matter. The side you find yourself able to barge past on may just vary based on who got on the escalator in front of you.

The escalators up to Princes' Street I think are stand only (because there's a big staircase next to them) but the ones from near the Platform 12 gateline up to the overbridge I've definitely seen a "stand on the left" sign at at some point. And Glasgow has them quite prominently on both Central down to Low Level ("Stand on the left") and Subway ("Stand on the right") escalators.

 

[takno]

The escalators up to Princes' Street I think are stand only (because there's a big staircase next to them) but the ones from near the Platform 12 gateline up to the overbridge I've definitely seen a "stand on the left" sign at at some point. And Glasgow has them quite prominently on both Central down to Low Level ("Stand on the left") and Subway ("Stand on the right") escalators.

There's a lot of "keep left" signs there, but that's relating to where you should be walking on the bridge. If you want to get onto/off the bridge quickly at that point you're usually better off on the stairs anyway.

 

[Bank Foot AM]

It's always been 'Please stand to the right' on the T&W Metro and that applies to everyone!

 

[contrex]

At Bristol Temple Meads, the stairs hetween the subway and the platforms have 'keep left' on the the riser of each step on the left as you go up, and a row of little 'no entry' signs on the the right-hand steps. These seem to be widely ignored at busy times.

 

[YorksLad12]

Leeds is stand on the right. But then...

The other week I was on the right and the two guys in front of me moved from the right to the left... because all the people in front of them were on the left. Then they saw the sign and moved back to the right. No-one was running up the escalator (don't get me started...) so it was all good. But very confusing that so many people all chose to stand on the left at the same time.

 

[Tester]

Standing on the right in London is a bit strange, but very well established.

My experience around the world is that most commonly the convention is to stand on the side the country drives on (so UK on the left). There are exceptions, but the convention holds far more than it doesn't.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I have a feeling that at least some Scottish escalators were switched to ‘stand on the left’ during covid (to reduce the chance of people coughing the virus into the faces of those being whisked past in the opposite direction).

 

[Peter0124]

It would be good if other cities adopted the London approach, maybe a bit more relaxed but there should always be an option to walk up/down an escalator free of needing to say excuse me or ask people to get past, especially if its a long one.

One of the only positives about London commuting is how efficient it is.

I have a feeling that at least some Scottish escalators were switched to ‘stand on the left’ during covid (to reduce the chance of people coughing the virus into the faces of those being whisked past in the opposite direction).

That is true as IIRC Glasgow Central was 'stand on the right' in 2019. They also have that silly one way system in place still on the low level, meaning you have to use escalators to go down rather than regular stairs, and one of the quickest entrances on the street is exit only.

I have mentioned the Glasgow Central stand on left thing a few times before but Scotrail said that there is no particular reason why it's like that. I still think it changed after covid.

 

[The exile]

At Bristol Temple Meads, the stairs hetween the subway and the platforms have 'keep left' on the the riser of each step on the left as you go up, and a row of little 'no entry' signs on the the right-hand steps. These seem to be widely ignored at busy times.

Not helped by the fact that under COVID and for several years afterwards viewed from the perspective of the subway it was the entire staircase to the left for “up” and the entire one to the right for “down” .

 

[nlogax]

We don't have a monopoly!

In Tokyo one stands on the left to protect your heart

In Osaka one stands on the right to protect your wallet

(Old Tokyo joke against materialistic Osakans!)

Hahahah... I did wonder about that!

 

[contrex]

Not helped by the fact that under COVID and for several years afterwards viewed from the perspective of the subway it was the entire staircase to the left for “up” and the entire one to the right for “down” .

They still are, aren't they? Like this I mean... I see the 'up' risers have arrows, and not 'KEEP LEFT' as I said before



== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 20 Nov 2025 ==

Hahahah... I did wonder about that!

Like the old joke - 'Crossing yourself? No, just checking I still have spectacles, testicles, wallet, watch.'

 

[Beebman]

Standing on the right in London is a bit strange, but very well established.

My experience around the world is that most commonly the convention is to stand on the side the country drives on (so UK on the left). There are exceptions, but the convention holds far more than it doesn't.

I was in Kuala Lumpur last month and the convention there is to stand on the left (the side Malaysia drives on).

 

[urbophile]

Classically Merseyrail also just had everyone stand, but in recent years the London practice of stand on the right and walk on the left seems to have been informally adopted. I guess people are more hurried these days.

It's taken a long time to catch on at Liverpool Central. Moorfields is more disciplined London style.

 

[D1511]

Same right left convention in the Netherlands

"links staan, recht gaan"

 

[Warrior2852]

There's a lot of "keep left" signs there, but that's relating to where you should be walking on the bridge. If you want to get onto/off the bridge quickly at that point you're usually better off on the stairs anyway.

Edinburgh does have a stand on one side sign but it was on the right, I'd misremembered the side. Which means though that, because of Glasgow being on the left, stations at two ends of the Central Belt lines are using completely different sides for standing, so commuters have to use both on their journey!
(Attached, an image showing a sign at Edinburgh Waverley saying to stand on the right of the escalator)

 

[edwin_m]

because of Glasgow being on the left, stations at two ends of the Central Belt lines are using completely different sides for standing, so commuters have to use both on their journey!

If one of them decides to do one thing then doesn't the other usually choose the opposite?

Non-station escalators, such as shopping centres, don't see to have any "lane discipline" at all, except maybe in London. I guess many of the clientele rarely use escalators in stations, or there's a general expectation that nobody's in a hurry.

 

[Peter0124]

If one of them decides to do one thing then doesn't the other usually choose the opposite?

Non-station escalators, such as shopping centres, don't see to have any "lane discipline" at all, except maybe in London. I guess many of the clientele rarely use escalators in stations, or there's a general expectation that nobody's in a hurry.

Shopping centres are completely understandable, but busy train stations should be different.

 

[Furrball]

The escalators up to Princes' Street I think are stand only (because there's a big staircase next to them) but the ones from near the Platform 12 gateline up to the overbridge I've definitely seen a "stand on the left" sign at at some point. And Glasgow has them quite prominently on both Central down to Low Level ("Stand on the left") and Subway ("Stand on the right") escalators.

The Princes' street escalators are quite often just broken!

 

[urbophile]

If one of them decides to do one thing then doesn't the other usually choose the opposite?

Non-station escalators, such as shopping centres, don't see to have any "lane discipline" at all, except maybe in London. I guess many of the clientele rarely use escalators in stations, or there's a general expectation that nobody's in a hurry.

In most shops the escalators tend to be narrower.

 

[takno]

Edinburgh does have a stand on one side sign but it was on the right, I'd misremembered the side. Which means though that, because of Glasgow being on the left, stations at two ends of the Central Belt lines are using completely different sides for standing, so commuters have to use both on their journey!
(Attached, an image showing a sign at Edinburgh Waverley saying to stand on the right of the escalator)

Interesting. Waste of time trying to get past people and their luggage anyway, might as well just head for the stairs. Some naughty people even use the right hand side of the stairs to speed up their journey.

 

[AM9]

... and then there's travelator standing. I usually take the right hand side to stand.

 

[Dr Day]

As someone who doesn’t have the best balance, and is right handed, I will generally naturally use the right hand side of any escalator or stairway.

Either way the practice of effectively only using half the capacity of the escalator by only having one person per step leaving the other for the odd person in a rush walking up always feels inefficient to me!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Standing on the right in London is a bit strange, but very well established.

Right handed people will generally want to use their right hand if they wish to steady themsleves on the handrail