It is no surprise that the daily experience of those living, working and studying in urban environments is shaped by their commutes. The length of time and quality of a commute can have considerable impacts on overall wellbeing and satisfaction. Transport infrastructure plays a critical role in facilitating trade, investment, tourism, and economic growth. More specifically, investments in public transport are value propositions across the liveability, sustainability, productivity, and connectivity of our communities.

More effective and efficient public transit materially lessens congestion on our roadways, as individuals lose the motivation to use personal cars as soon as they have the opportunity (resources), and/or experience enough pressures (frustrations).

Effective public transport is purely one that “goes fast and comes often.” This is a major reason why metros are becoming the future of transport around the world, with governments spending billions on their development.

While we’re working on major transportation projects that shape our future and bring about big changes to our cities, such as the metros being built across the world, we should not stop looking for ways to further improve the spaces and resources we already have access to.

Big improvements from “little infrastructure”

Smaller investments in “little infrastructure” that are overlooked far too often can significantly improve daily commutes. It’s not only the big investments that can make a difference.

"Little infrastructure" refers to smaller-scale or less extensive physical structures and systems that support the community. In their complementary role to large-scale infrastructure (which requires more intensive resources), these smaller changes can be just as important with compounding effects.

Examples of little infrastructure include signage (e.g., trip information, actionable signs, cardinal directions and points of interest), barriers, furniture, window decals/floor markers (such as demarcated walkways and dividers), announcements, and storage solutions.

Learn more: How infrastructure delays threaten Western Sydney housing supply

Real value can be found in the small cues and pieces of information that can aid behaviours. Simple signage can gently steer people to act in ways that keep the system moving in ways that better match the intended design. Researchers who study social networks and communication know this well. The ultimate goal is connecting people where it matters – and spending less time where it doesn't.

In both designing new places and improving our existing spaces, there are many simple and inexpensive ways that we can help shift behaviours in positive ways. The reality is that different places already do different aspects well, but most miss the mark in some way or another. The upside is that we can learn from both science and practice, as highlighted in the points below:

Navigating the environment

Record announcements. When you travel to major cities around the world, from London to Seoul to Sydney, travellers frequently remember the voices that help shape how a city is perceived (being a common feature of their trip). As millions of people take public transport, and tourists also make critical judgements about the city from their public transport experiences, friendly narrations are well worth the time. These efforts can also reduce repetitive efforts and help transport staff focus on other important activities.

Include cardinal directions. The reality is that – despite the best efforts of city planners – most people aren’t going to recognise suburbs and stops at the end of the line, but they usually know or can quickly figure out which direction (e.g., north, south) they would like to go. Adding a simple initial to the trainline makes for a very valuable indicator (helping many board in the right direction).

Incorporate points of interest. Planners should also pay attention to major points of interest. There are noted gender differences in terms of how individuals give and pay attention to directions. Adding points of interest improves accessibility and navigation for many, particularly when in a new or unfamiliar environment.

Use colour to partition. Every designer knows that bright and natural colours can grab attention and make spaces more appealing by making them feel more open. Colours are also highly effective in delineating different spaces from each other. This can be an effective tool to help users navigate larger stations and distinguish where they would like to go.

Give estimated times of travel and post-departure times before the escalators/stairs. Giving people better information to make better decisions that could impact their day (particularly without looking at their phone) can also help avoid rushes in critical areas (especially near train tracks) because they can already see when the next trains are arriving and move accordingly in a safer way. The more time estimates you can give people, the better control and understanding they can have over their commute in real-time.

Managing proxemics and people flow

Proxemics is the study of how people use space, particularly how individuals organise themselves in terms of distance. It naturally has a cultural element. One key example is what side of the road or footpath we drive or walk on. When living and working in a global city, this often leads to incidents where people clash.

Stand left, walk right. The direction of travel is also cultural. For example, we often mark pedestrian crossings with “look left before crossing” (the street). Although more obvious to locals, these are highly effective reminders that promote safety for those visiting (who have differing norms).

Similarly, as escalators enter a golden era as metros are dug deeper and buildings affixed to stations grow taller, it is more important than ever to have decals or lines that demarcate sides for each way of travel (standing or walking). This greatly facilitates the efficient flow of people, and more importantly, helps people prevent clashes while moving to the side of their preference.

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Demarcations and decals. Along walkways, elevators, and places where people need to stand, ground markings can be highly effective. For example:

• Train platforms should indicate where passengers should stand to wait rather than exit the train. Accessing the train from the sides and exiting in the middle greatly facilitates the flow of traffic.
• Lanes and pathways can also help demarcate sections of large spaces where large crowds of people may be headed in general directions.
• Elevators and below handles (such as those found on trains and buses) to help encourage patrons to move to the specific places as intended during peak times.

Why do metro stations work?

The fundamental value of metros is not only their speed but also their placement below cities, which provides the potential to move people where they have never been able to go before.

One of the reasons why metro stations are so rewarding is their ability to connect many different parts of the community (more quickly) but also embed them into the surrounding area (more effectively). This is achieved through efficient use of space for many users and multiple purposes. For both the buildings above and the metro stations below, this is the true way we can build better communities.

With this in mind, when you look at the designs for metro stations (such as the business case for Sydney in 2016), the end product was delivered. However, there have been few updates to signage or other “little infrastructure” that could help the spaces be used more effectively. We have a great opportunity to do so, and transportation networks around the world can learn from each other and benefit in the process.

Little infrastructure FAQ

• While we work on major projects, let’s not forget about little infrastructure. Little additions can nudge small changes in behaviour with a significant impact when repeated across people and reverberate across the network.
• The better public transport, the easier the transfers between work and personal lives become, as well as meeting demands to spend time in the office.
• We want people to take public transport. It has a societal benefit and saves time, whether you personally use it or not.

Dr Andrew Dhaenens is Research Manager at UNSW Business School. With a background in human resources, Andrew's primary area of research is workplace relationships, mentoring, family business, and social networks. Across these topics, he is currently working on projects related to organisational change, work arrangements, turnover, and developmental networks. For more information please contact Dr Dhaenens.