"When the capital's premier escalator was installed at Earl's Court station in 1911, travellers were not able to disembark from the moving staircase in the same direction of their travel. Instead, the base of the escalator had a diagonal end that forced passengers to get off the staircase to the left side. That meant that, naturally, people walking should go down the left as they would be able to get off first."
London's Underground escalator convention of standing on the right while walking on the left differs from UK road rules, prompting curiosity among commuters. Various theories circulated online, including explanations involving handedness, driving customs, and historical superstitions. The actual reason traces to the design of London's first escalator, installed at Earl's Court station in 1911. This escalator featured a diagonal end that forced passengers to disembark on the left side. Consequently, walkers naturally used the left lane to exit first, establishing the practice that persists today.
#london-underground-escalators #etiquette-and-conventions #historical-design-origins #transportation-infrastructure
Read at Time Out London
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