Google Street View will be made available within a number of London Underground stations from next year to help travellers better plan their journeys.
The project will use cameras that capture 360-degree images inside of around 3o tube stations, including Green Park, King’s Cross St Pancras and Waterloo, to provide virtual representations of some of London’s busiest stations.
By being able to show routes through some of London’s key stations, Transport for London (TfL) – a CiTTi Awards 2023 finalist shortlisted in five different categories – said it hopes that travellers will use Google Street View within stations in the same way they would for journeys made by walking and cycling across the UK capital.
What’s more, TfL said it hopes the service will be beneficial to customers with accessibility needs or people who are unfamiliar with travelling in London.
Thomas Ableman, director of innovation and strategy at TfL, said: “This innovative project with Google will allow our customers to use Street View to chart their way through our stations, helping them build confidence in using our network when visiting London as well as plan the best way to interchange between lines.
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“Working with companies such as Google shows how we can use new tools and technology to bring the best service to our customers.”
In the coming weeks, Google will start collecting Street View imagery, with posters placed at stations to alert customers when imagery capture may occur.
The images will be collected by Google between 10am to 4pm to avoid peak hours, using a 360-degree backpack camera.
Google’s blurring technology will then be applied to the imagery, which is designed to automatically blur identifiable faces before publishing.
The images will then be launched throughout 2024, with the aim of helping travellers to get a better sense of the layout of the stations when planning journeys or interchanging between different tube lines at stations, as well as identify key facilities such as toilets and help points.
Innovations and achievements in transport accessibility and public transportation will be celebrated at the second annual CiTTi Awards on 21 November 2023 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table today!
