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Making London logical – new map aims to make the most of our capital’s places and spaces

Thursday 7 August 2008

Ever wondered how a map of overground London would look if it was simply and logically planned? How easy life could be if SE2 actually neighboured SE1, not SE28?

Bruce Jerram certainly has, and his solution to the disorder of overground London is the subject of an intriguing essay available to read in the latest edition of Rising East, the online journal of the London East Research Institute at the University of East London (UEL).

In ‘Places, spaces, codes and signs: unravelling the tangle of overground London’, Jerram – an activist, photographer and documentary-maker – proposes the development of a simple map, as iconic and universally understood as Harry Beck’s classic circuit diagram of the London Underground. 

Jerram explained: “The Underground map has become the paradigm for urban rail maps the world over thanks to Beck’s clever reduction of the functions of space and place to their conceptual minimum – named dots and scale-free lines.

“Our understanding of overground London, however, remains far more chaotic and jumbled. In order to make the most of its locations, we desperately need to bring them into a similarly simple and harmonised relationship. The results would enhance the city’s environment, identity and economy at all scales from the local to the regional.”

Jerram’s hypothetical project rests upon one major change: re-designing Greater London’s postcodes so that each one identifies a place with a clear position within the M25.The new postcodes would show direction and distance from the centre of London in such a way that each place could be immediately envisaged.

‘SE5’, for example, would be an area south-east of central London between zones 4 and 6; currently SE5 is due south, beyond SE17, west of SE15, and next to SW9 – in other words directionally nowhere!

Jerram believes that aligning London’s postcodes to its places in a universally understood format would bring countless benefits. His new map could be attached to existing London signage, showing people where they are, both locally and in relation to the city as a whole.

At a glance, the map would convey position in distance and direction from the centre of London and to nearby places, based on a unified understanding of its design.The new postcodes would also convey this information, both visually and logically.

Jerram said: “Strangers and ‘natives’ alike would be easily able to tell where they were in relation to anywhere else, and the city’s identity would be reinforced both locally and globally – people would literally know where much more of London actually is!

“Millions of pounds could be saved in reduced wastage and emissions produced by lost drivers, while millions more could be made through increased economic opportunity.Who knows – it could even help save the Post Office!”

To read Bruce Jerram’s full essay in the latest ‘Crunch’ edition of Rising East, visit www.risingeast.org. Based at the University of East London, the London East Research Institute (LERI) provides a regional network for research and consultancy on issues of urban regeneration. For further details, visit www.uel.ac.uk/londoneast.

For details and pictures contact Daniel Cherry: 020 8223 2194

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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