Euston station has brought back adverts to its display board after they were shut down amid controversy in 2024. Campaigners worry that wheelchair users and neurodivergent travellers will be sidelined.
Former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh removed the adverts after concerns they caused confusion and visual clutter.
The city’s travel watchdog, London TravelWatch claimed passengers in Euston were being overwhelmed and endangered by “high levels of overcrowding”.
Credit: Erin Ekins, X
On Monday, the adverts returned to the corners of the screen for a two-week trial period.
Network Rail claims it listened to concerns, and that any future revenue generated “will be reinvested into improvements benefitting passengers”.
Advocacy group, Railfuture, said they have “absolutely no concerns whatsoever about the visibility of travel information”, and that the adverts would be the “lowest of passenger concerns” while travelling.
No information was available about the specific benefits that passengers can expect or how the adverts’ impact will be measured.
Separately, Network Rail has promised to improve Euston’s customer service hub and customer seating.
Credit: City News
Some passengers are anxious about the potential worsening of overcrowding and confusion for those with disabilities.
Martyn Sibley, founder of Purple Changemakers, told City News that accessibility is about “clarity, dignity, and predictability in the travel experience”.
“When essential travel information is not clearly prioritised over advertising content, it can feel as though accessibility has been treated as secondary”, he says.
Martyn is a wheelchair user. He says he needs extra time to navigate the crowds and relies on essential information being consistently located and easy to read, without visual clutter.
Credit: Martyn Sibley, Instagram
Neurodivergent author and campaigner, Erin Ekins, says she feels left behind and ignored by the decision to reintroduce adverts on the main screens.
As an autistic traveller, she told City News her commute had significantly improved since the ads were removed.
“Adverts are made to be paid attention to. They will be hard to ignore. I don’t know how that squares with a commitment to accessibility”, she says.
Credit: Erin Ekins, X
City News has approached Network Rail and the Department of Transport for comment.
On Network Rail’s website, the company insists it has followed neurodivergence guidelines and promised to reduce the brightness on the advertising screens.
Short HeadlineHas London’s most unpopular advertising screen left disabled travellers behind?
StandfirstCampaigners tell City News they feel let down by the return of the stations formerly banned advertisements.
Euston station has brought back adverts to its display board after they were shut down amid controversy in 2024. Campaigners worry that wheelchair users and neurodivergent travellers will be sidelined.
Former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh removed the adverts after concerns they caused confusion and visual clutter.
The city’s travel watchdog, London TravelWatch claimed passengers in Euston were being overwhelmed and endangered by “high levels of overcrowding”.
Credit: Erin Ekins, X
On Monday, the adverts returned to the corners of the screen for a two-week trial period.
Network Rail claims it listened to concerns, and that any future revenue generated “will be reinvested into improvements benefitting passengers”.
Advocacy group, Railfuture, said they have “absolutely no concerns whatsoever about the visibility of travel information”, and that the adverts would be the “lowest of passenger concerns” while travelling.
No information was available about the specific benefits that passengers can expect or how the adverts’ impact will be measured.
Separately, Network Rail has promised to improve Euston’s customer service hub and customer seating.
Credit: City News
Some passengers are anxious about the potential worsening of overcrowding and confusion for those with disabilities.
Martyn Sibley, founder of Purple Changemakers, told City News that accessibility is about “clarity, dignity, and predictability in the travel experience”.
“When essential travel information is not clearly prioritised over advertising content, it can feel as though accessibility has been treated as secondary”, he says.
Martyn is a wheelchair user. He says he needs extra time to navigate the crowds and relies on essential information being consistently located and easy to read, without visual clutter.
Credit: Martyn Sibley, Instagram
Neurodivergent author and campaigner, Erin Ekins, says she feels left behind and ignored by the decision to reintroduce adverts on the main screens.
As an autistic traveller, she told City News her commute had significantly improved since the ads were removed.
“Adverts are made to be paid attention to. They will be hard to ignore. I don’t know how that squares with a commitment to accessibility”, she says.
Credit: Erin Ekins, X
City News has approached Network Rail and the Department of Transport for comment.
On Network Rail’s website, the company insists it has followed neurodivergence guidelines and promised to reduce the brightness on the advertising screens.
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