'Calm space' installed at busy Tube station

A new "calm space" is being trialled at a west London Tube and railway station, aimed at helping passengers who find travelling overwhelming.

The space at Ealing Broadway station provides a welcoming, low-stimulation environment where customers can take time out to pause and rest, Transport for London (TfL) says.

It has an acoustic shelter designed to reduce surrounding noise, a comfortable seat, and is decorated with calming images of nature and plants.

The idea is being trialled as part of a TfL strategy to make travelling on the network more inclusive. The calm space at Ealing Broadway is to be followed by a second space in the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden this autumn.

The shelters have been designed with level access and with room for mobility aids, pushchairs and assistance dogs, TfL said.

TfL teamed up with autism charity Austistica to create the spaces, which worked with neurodivergent people to create the calm spaces and research what benefits they could bring.

They concluded that access to a calm space while travelling could significantly help some people and give them confidence to travel independently.

Customers are being encouraged to try out the spaces during the trials and submit feedback.

Dr Amanda Roestorf, director of research at Autistica, said: "For many neurodivergent Londoners, a calm space can be the difference between avoiding the Underground and travelling with confidence.

"These spaces offer a vital safe space to pause, regulate, and continue their journey independently."

TfL said it was continuing to improve accessibility across the network, with £3m a year being invested over five years to improve facilities.

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