London Tube passengers told 'give up priority seats to those who need them' as TfL launches awareness campaign

Transport bosses are launching a campaign next week to ensure pregnant, disabled and elderly passengers most in need of a priority seat are able to get one.

Large circular blue signs are being placed on carriage windows with the message “Priority seating: Please consider other passengers when using this seat”.

The “priority seat week” is being run on the Jubilee line and on London Overground trains, and marks the first anniversary of Transport for London’s “please offer me a seat” badges.

Akin to the “baby on board” badges sported by pregnant women, more than 30,000 have been issued to passengers, many of whom have “hidden” disabilities.

Announcements will be broadcast on Tannoy systems across the Underground. The initiative follows the case in February of Amit Patel, a blind man, who was subjected to an angry tirade from a commuter trying to barge past him and his guide dog on an escalator at London Bridge.

TfL said able-bodied passengers needed constant reminders to treat fellow travellers with courtesy and to be ready to surrender their seat.

A spokesman said: “The point is, for better or worse, we need to keep saying it — and find different ways to keep saying it.”

TfL has no way of measuring the scale of the problem, or any way of forcing passengers to give up their seat, but hopes the signs will appeal to their better nature. The campaign has a hashtag — #travelkind — and has been attracting positive comments on Twitter.

Caroline Hanks tweeted: “Made getting a seat this morning so much easier with my ‘please offer me a seat badge’. Thank you!”