Innovative Cash Tray

THE CHALLENGE

Successful ticket office counter designs need to meet the needs of both customers and staff, whilst optimising the usable space for ticket sales.  There are other fundamentals to consider too, including what equipment is used and how it is laid out at the ticket office counter.

Previous approaches and interpretations of the available standards and codes-of-practice have led to many problems, including:

• counter depths which are too deep to reach across comfortably – for either the customer or staff
• poor under counter knee space and sometimes non-existent leg room
• counters which are too high
•  the creation of separate and dedicated window positions for customers using wheel chairs or people of lower stature because standards have been misinterpreted. This approach has been inadvertently discriminatory
•  these dedicated positions would be vacant 95% of the time

The optimum solution is an inclusive design, suitable for both staff and all customers, making the best use of the available space.

OUR DESIGN SOLUTION

Our ticket counter design incorporates a continuous dual height fixed counter concept. This creates a customer transaction position that is accessible for both ambulant standing, wheel chair users and people of lower stature. A unique part of this design is our innovative pay window transfer tray – DFA Cash Tray™. The DFA Cash Tray is located between the upper and lower counter to assist seated customers or people of lower stature. (Patent Application No: 1121376.6).

THE BENEFITS OF OUR DFA CASH TRAY

The benefits of this dual height fixed counter approach and our innovative cash tray are that:

•  continuity of design at ticket offices is maintained
• there is no need for a dedicated DDA position freeing up space which in most locations lies dormant for the majority of the time
• all positions are accessible and helps remove the stigma associated with disability and impairment
• it optimises the space for ticket sales
• removes under counter obstructions and improves free movement at the counter
• helps reduce costs (during build and in operations)

The DFA Cash Tray™ is a product of the Ideas design process, a continuous process of investigating the design and ergonomic criteria and legislative requirements that constitute an inclusive design suitable for both staff and customers.

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