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Find out how to beat the Tube crush from your phone
Mark Prigg, Science and Technology Editor23 Jul 2009
New mobile phone software directs commuters to the exact Tube carriage they need to travel in to make a quick exit and avoid a long walk along the platform.
The application can even tell passengers which side of the train they are best to stand on.
Users enter their start and end points and are shown where on the platform they should stand to avoid a long walk at their destination.
Tube Exits, which runs on Apple's iPhone and sells for £1.59, is the brainchild of Lance Stewart, 33, from Wimbledon. "I was on my way to a meeting and had to get off at Oxford Circus," he said.
"Unfortunately I was on the wrong end of the platform, and it was an absolute nightmare pushing through the crowd. It occurred to me that a guide to Tube platforms could be useful."
Mr Stewart quit his job at Virgin to work on the application, which cost him about £3,000 to develop. He said: "I'm not a programmer, but I was able to sketch out what I wanted and then get someone to make it."
However, to research the software, Mr Stewart spent eight days travelling to all 270 Tube stations on the 11 lines, noting the exit to each platform. "It wasn't a great deal of fun, but I had to swallow my pride and do it. A lot of stations I actually visited twice to make sure I hadn't made a mistake."
The application has already been downloaded from Apple's App Store several thousand times and Mr Stewart plans to expand the service to other cities that have an underground rail network.
"While it started out as a bit of a gimmick, people are now really finding applications like Tube exits are useful. We get most of our business from word of mouth, and I've been amazed at how well it has done," he said.
Reader views (10)
The tube exits app is one of the best and most practical apps around. I'm always using it!
- James, London, 23/07/2009 15:02
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Michael, I completely disagree! This will help to reduce platform congestion - it will reduce the number of commuters crossing each other along the crowded platform. Think about it - commuters arriving close to the platform exit they need means that they don't need to walk past each other along the platform.
- Emily, London, 23/07/2009 13:36
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To Mr P Staker - Yes, somebody did write one, it's called the 'Way Out Tube Map' and I bought it from Amazon. But I have to admit I haven't used it much...
- J. Anstead, London, 23/07/2009 13:34
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This is going to cause serious overcrowding at particular platform exit points and could result in serious injury and loss of life.
- Michael Monaghan, London, 23/07/2009 13:04
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What a load of rubbish. What is the problem with walking for what is no more than 30 seconds to get to an exit from the platform.
Rubbish rubbish rubbish
- Gary, London, 23/07/2009 13:03
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Another app that makes me wish I wasn't stuck on a phone contract. Or should I just bite the bullet now?
- Joseph, London, 23/07/2009 13:02
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These new "apps" such as Tube Exits are the perfect example of how technology can help to solve life's little problems. Unlike a book, an app can evolve as exits change, new stations open, new lines open.
- Emma P, London, 23/07/2009 12:41
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If the staff don't even know what chance has this thing got?
- Steve, London, 23/07/2009 12:00
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Now *that* is the reason I am going to get an iPhone.
- Dan K, London, London, 23/07/2009 11:57
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Didn't some bloke write a book that did the same a few years ago?
- P I Staker, London, 23/07/2009 11:05
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