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Inclusive Wayfinding Toolkit

Tools and recommendations to design and implement effective wayfinding systems for walking, wheeling and cycling that can be used by everyone.
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Purpose

The toolkit addresses people’s
barriers to active travel

Many people are hesitant and unsure about walking, wheeling or cycling journeys. The toolkit directly tackles this uncertainty. It aims to dramatically increase the amount of active travel throughout the UK. The toolkit will do this by establishing a set of core principles, and designing a system that is tested with a wide range of people. It establishes a scalable system that can inform and empower local authorities to implement effective information for every pathway in the country.
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A collection of line drawing depicting diverse modes of movement. From left to right, the first row shows a person jogging, a person on a bicycle, and a parent with two children, one holding a book. The second row features a person in a wheelchair, another pushing a baby stroller, and a person on a scooter. The simplistic style captures various forms of urban transportation and pedestrian traffic, emphasising inclusivity and mobility in a community setting.

Designing for a wide range of people

Active travel is for everyone. Enthusiasts, disabled, families, children and older people. It means designing environments that work for a wide range of abilities and levels of awareness.
Isometric illustration showing an urban crosswalk scene. There are two cyclists approaching the crosswalk, riding white bicycles and depicted in a simplified, white line drawing style. On the crosswalk, there's a figure with a cane and a service dog, waiting as the traffic light overhead shows a red signal, indicating to stop. The minimalistic drawing style creates a contrast that emphasises road safety and pedestrian right-of-way.

Changing behaviour

Fostering a culture of respectful and safe behaviour for everyone on our roads and paths. Achieved by setting behavioural expectations, and providing reminders, campaigns, and education of the Highway Code.
Isometric illustration background depicting an accessible city environment. A person in a wheelchair is interacting with a tall information kiosk, while another figure stands beside. To the right, there's a pedestrian with a beard, and in the foreground, a cyclist is riding away from the viewer, towards a yellow road marking that reads 'C2'. The scene is designed with white line drawings and selective colouring, like the orange top of the kiosk and the yellow road sign, to highlight urban accessibility features.

Increasing awareness

Communicating information about local destinations and opportunities to be more active. Enabling everyone, especially older and disabled people, to be more confident to walk, wheel or cycle.
How does it work?

A national system of directions
and behaviour

Designed to empower Local Authorities to implement a standardised and scalable wayfinding system. That encourages the public to engage in active travel activities.
A series of directional signs and wayfinding posts for cyclists and pedestrians. From left to right: a yellow and blue sign labeled “C21” with directions to Penton Fields and Henley Station, a blue sign with a map and cycling route labeled “Penton,” a set of blue directional signs pointing to various locations including Royal George Park, Colchester Station, Uxbridge Town Centre, Chalfont St Peter, and a leisure center with walking and cycling times, and a road sign for “Brecon Way” with additional directions to Aspen Avenue, Mowsbury Park, Putnoe Lane, and Putnoe Library. Silhouettes of a cyclist and a pedestrian are shown interacting with the signs.
A series of signs and wayfinding totems for cyclists and pedestrians. From left to right: a green road sign labeled “N45 Towards Oxford,” a tall blue road sign listing distances to destinations like Bedford and Oxford, a yellow and blue totem labeled “C4 Bedford to Leighton” indicating a cycling route, a tall pedestrian totem labeled “PUTNOE Pothill Ave” with directions to local landmarks, a small post with a map and wayfinding information, and a small sign for the cycling route “C4 Towards Putnoe.” Silhouettes of a cyclist and a pedestrian are shown interacting with the signs.
This image displays various road signs related to the shared use of paths by cyclists and pedestrians, promoting safety and awareness. The signs encourage cyclists to slow down for others, ring their bells to notify pedestrians when overtaking, and wait for others to pass when necessary. They also remind cyclists to follow vehicle rules at intersections, such as proceeding only on green lights, and to overtake on the right with care, maintaining a safe distance of 1.5 meters from other users. Some signs indicate narrow paths where cyclists should dismount, while others mark pedestrian-only zones or shared paths for both walkers and cyclists. E-scooters are reminded to follow the same cycle signs, and both cyclists and pedestrians are urged to stay alert and travel with caution, especially when not everyone can hear or see their approach. These signs emphasize shared responsibility and careful consideration of all path users to ensure a safer environment for everyone.
Methodology

Research and evidence based

The inclusive wayfinding toolkit is based on findings from multiple streams of research. They were used to collect insights which fed into the design and development of the toolkit.

Desktop research

Research on the needs & barriers of older people within active travel, existing guidance and risks related to active travel in the UK.

On-street testing

Older people captured perceptions of active travel and measured public understanding of signage and information systems related to active travel.

Surveys

Explored people’s understanding of the Highway Code, and their perceptions of active travel behaviour. This included mental map analysis

First-hand observations

20 cycling journeys of around 30 minutes in duration were filmed by five different cyclists that showed in-situ cyclist behaviour.

User engagements sessions

Older people were organised where they shared their experiences with active travel and how information could help motivate them to walk/wheel/cycle more.

Focus group sessions

Strategic elements of active travel with representatives and heads of local authorities and relevant active travel organisations.
Application

Focusing on interaction and relationships between users of different modes

The toolkit includes a range of typical scenarios in which the standards and guidance set out in the Toolkit is applied to typical situations. They describe applications to the most common scenarios, which by their very nature are those that practitioners will recognise in their day to day evaluations.
An image of a Legible London sign with a london bus in the background

Design consistency

Ensuring that signage and wayfinding elements are uniform across different scenarios for ease of recognition and understanding.
Mockup

User-centric

Focusing on the needs and behaviours of different users – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists – in each scenario.
Mockup

Safety and accessibility

Prioritising features that enhance safety for all users, especially those with disabilities.
Future

Trial, test and improve

The current UK Road System is run by DFT and Local Authorities have very little guidance on how to implement wayfinding for non-road users. This is a prototype for a National approach to directions, awareness and behaviour for these non-vehicular road and path users.
If you want to work with the Toolkit, if you are a local or combined Authority or large landowner, Business Improvement District or a place manager, then please contact us.
Contact
Mockup

Collaboration

The plan is to work with a number of willing local and combined authorities to pilot the concepts and plans outlined in this Toolkit.
Mockup

prototypes, proposals and suggestions

The aim is to use logic, of what works and how predictability can be achieved, without needing to alter the current Road System.
Applied Information Group

Applied are spatial experience designers.
We make complex places legible

Applied is a global design practice at the forefront of the field of physical UX. We help people avoid getting lost. Our passion is to help people move through busy places easily, productively and with certainty.
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Information Legible London sign at Marylebone, Cavendish Square in an urban setting. The sign is in high contrast colors, with a black background, yellow upper section, and white text. It points towards Fitzrovia, Regent Street, and Titchfield to the left, and Mayfair, Oxford Street, Hanover, and Oxford Circus to the right. Below is a map showing nearby streets and the walking times from the current location to various points of interest such as Charing Cross, Euston, and the British Museum, ranging from 3 to 29 minutes. A blurry red double-decker bus is passing by in the background, creating a sense of motion and city life.

Legible London

The birth of modern city wayfinding
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A blurred figure in a yellow shirt is passing by a stationary bike, creating a dynamic urban scene. In the foreground, there's a detailed map on an information board for the Theater Neighborhood at Princeton University. The map highlights various areas like The Meadows, Lakeside, Woodlands, Stadium, Ivy Lane, and Nassau with an orange boundary marking the neighborhood perimeter. On the right side of the map is a comprehensive list of locations with corresponding numbers to help visitors navigate. In the background, there's a tree with young green leaves and a section of a building with a golden facade.

Princeton University

Creating a welcoming experience for everyone
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A street scene showing a cyclist in motion riding through a designated cycling lane while a red Zipcar-branded van waits in the background. The cyclist is blurred due to movement, wearing casual clothing and a backpack. The scene is set on East Avenue, as indicated by a street sign. A “dead-end” road sign is visible on the right, and a small yellow sign provides details about the Walthamstow Farmers Market. The setting is shaded by large trees, and the atmosphere appears calm, with vehicles waiting and the cyclist in focus. The street is designed to accommodate both cyclists and vehicles.

Waltham Forest: Mini-Holland

Getting more people to walk and cycle locally
View Project

Download the Toolkit

Tools and recommendations to design and implement effective wayfinding systems for walking, wheeling and cycling that can be used by everyone.
Contact
Download