TfL launches pun-making hologram in latest bid to get commuters to obey standing-only escalators

Jamie Bullen7 June 2016

Tube bosses have introduced a singing and pun-making "hologram" in a bid to enforce the controversial all-standing escalator trial at Holborn.

TfL has installed the virtual station attendant on top of a speaker at the central London station, where people are being asked to stand on both sides of the escalators as part of a six-month experiment.

The hologram belts out renditions of songs such including “I’m Still Standing” and “Stand By Me” to encourage people not to walk up the stairs, in the hope of getting commuters to obey the new rules.

Other tunes have been altered to fit with the standing theme - including Indeep’s hit "Last Night A DJ Saved My Life" which has become "Last Night Standing Saved My Life".

Controversial: Commuters have hit out at a cardboard figure which tells people to stand on both sides of the escalator at Holborn station
Pete Austin

However, the move has divided Tube commuters, with many some criticising the figure which has been likened to a “Dr Who villain”.

Trevor Ubdegrove said: “The Holborn hologram is actually just a white cardboard cut-out today, emitting 'standing' puns and songs like a Dr Who villain....”

And Sam Diss wrote: “The hologram at Holborn's gone mental. Used to just say 'stand on both sides' and now it's shouting 'PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN! UNITED WE STAND!'"

Barrister Greg Ó Ceallaigh said the instructions were still being ignored, posting: “Holborn hologram telling people to stand on both sides of the escalator being ignored; the English equivalent of storming the Bastille.”

Others were more positive about the light-hearted attempt to get commuters to obey the new standing-only rule.

One woman posted: “The Holborn escalator hologram is jokes! She sings! #standbyme #imstillstanding to make people stand both sides.”

Mark Evers, London Underground’s Director of Customer Strategy, said: “Our escalator hologram at Holborn is one of the methods we’re testing to encourage customers to stand on both sides of the escalators during the morning rush hour to help ease congestion.

"We’ve worked with the behavioural science department at London School of Economics to develop different messages to see which work best – these include standard instructions to customers and ‘light’ messages that play on words.”

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