This seems to rely on assuming that the average time taken is the metric to optimize.
Imagine that you have 100 passengers, 25 of which aren't concerned with time taken, 50 of which are indifferent, and 25 of which are concerned with time taken.
With a 'walking lane', it seems to me that everyone is satisfied.
Without a walking lane, average speed improves, but those that would prefer to walk are slowed down.
I can't speak for others but I personally find the system excellent. If I'm in a rush, I can run up the stairs. If I'm not, I can chill.
I would generally be in favour of asking everyone to walk (as the below poster mentions), but that can't be expected of everyone - the disabled, elderly, children, those with suitcases, and likely other groups can't do that.
One could argue that this does help everyone when it's particularly busy because it reduces the glut of people waiting to get on the bottom of the escalator, which can slow you down even if you want to walk up.
I suppose from TFL's point of view, the average time take is exactly what they want to optimise too because it everyone through the system quickest.
Personally, I really like walking and I guess I'd be a bit frustrated at not being able to even if it was for the good of the whole. Or even for me personally (time-wise)
Actually, they should have done the opposite: get everyone to start walking up and stop treating escalators as rides. (Especially horizontal moving walkways.) Imagine the capacity then!
They're not rides. We have way, way, way, too many out-of-shape people in the world. There should be every encouragement to take at least a few opportunities to exercise.
Yes, some escalators can be long, such as the ones mentioned in this article. Still not a big deal, I've done it. (And they only "feel" long when you stand the whole way.) If you really want a ride, use an elevator.
People would need more space on the escalator to walk so this would reduce the overall escalator capacity. There would also be some people who couldn't or wouldn't walk, which would always break the double lane walking and revert the system to how it is currently.
Agreed that they do present an opportunity to get a little exercise though, which would be missed in the "everyone stand" world.
Imagine that you have 100 passengers, 25 of which aren't concerned with time taken, 50 of which are indifferent, and 25 of which are concerned with time taken.
With a 'walking lane', it seems to me that everyone is satisfied.
Without a walking lane, average speed improves, but those that would prefer to walk are slowed down.
I can't speak for others but I personally find the system excellent. If I'm in a rush, I can run up the stairs. If I'm not, I can chill.
I would generally be in favour of asking everyone to walk (as the below poster mentions), but that can't be expected of everyone - the disabled, elderly, children, those with suitcases, and likely other groups can't do that.