Trains told to get rid of torrent of 'Tannoy spam'

[Tracked]

was on the local DON-LDS Northern service last night and it was quite bad before we left Doncaster; partly the amount of things that were being announced before departure, partly because they were loud enough to interrupt our conversation, and partly because they'd pause for 30 or so seconds between then (just long enough for us to have resumed our conversation)

I used to commute from Doncaster to London. Not unknown for the verbal diarrhoea on leaving Doncaster still to be spewing forth approaching Retford - cue more vocally incontinent claptrap. Repeat ad infinitum approaching Newark, Grantham and Peterborough.

Please just STFU and give us a break from the incessant piffle.

Worst I ever had was about 3 years ago on TPE from SHF-DON; I counted 10 separate automatic/manual announcements from the moment we set off that continued to the point we passed the old Rotherham station, with hardly any pause between them - I'll see if I can find the list of announcements they made

(edit) Found it:


Guard - leaving Sheffield - announces where train is going to, advises about 1st class and that there is no longer a buffet service available after Sheffield

<short pause>

Automated Guy - just before line branches off to Worksop - this is the 15:10 service to Cleethorpes, calling at ...

<short pause>

Automated Woman - not long after Attercliffe - We get the full If you see anything that doesn't look right ... Say It, See It, Sorted. This takes us past the Royal Mail Depot

<Slightly longer puase>

Guard - Brightside - We will shortly be arriving at Meadowhell, please ensure you have your belongings with you, blah blah

<Train Stops at Meadowhall>

Automated Woman - This is Meadowhall, this train is for Cleethorpes, the next stop is Doncaster

<Train sets off>

Guard - This is the Cleethorpes train, apologies but we re approximately xx minutes late

<short pause>

Automated Guy - This is the TPE service to Cleethorpes, calling at ...

This took us round the curve at Masborough.

 

[miklcct]

Comparing the two TOCs serving my home station, SWR has a lot of spam announcement, but it also does much better in delivering "important" announcements including repeatedly announcing "this train is for London Waterloo" at station calls, and announcing transfers upon arriving interchange stations.

XC doesn't have automatic announcements, but the manual announcements don't include the most important piece of information on board IMO - announcing the destination of the train before it departs.

Combined with other service aspects, including punctuality, frequency, fares, etc., I really think that SWR has a much better service than XC.

 

[Parallel]

I think the quality of the voice giving the announcements should also be a factor. Somebody like Julie Berry (voices on board for Southern, WMT, Merseyrail and others) is very easy to zone out of, but also easy to tune into if you’re wanting the information.

The announcements on Northern (female voice) or TPE (male voice) are a lot harder to zone out from as the tones of voice deliver information in quite a demanding way, rather than to ‘inform’.

I wouldn’t trust the DfT though, seeing as they commissioned recordings from Greg Scott who sounds like he’s literally shouting down the microphone most of the time (the voice that does the generic stuff at Southeastern stations)

 

[Wolfie]

That's the issue. Safety warnings might be irritating to some but expect them back as soon as there's an incident where someone is injured and cites not being informed of the hazard as a contributory factor.

Indeed Shapps could find himself in Court, at least as a witness, if there is a serious incident and the cause can be placed at his withdrawal of safety announcements.

The destination, calling points and next/current station are all the essentials. Wibble about other things is not needed, nor is LNR guards' tendencies to waffle over the autoannouncer.

Without even trying hard to rubbish your "definitive" list what about connections?

I heard the "this station does not have tactile paving" announcement yesterday but I'm pretty sure the bobbly looking paving running alongside the yellow line was exactly that, so what's the point of that one!

Perhaps not on all platforms? Otherwise as you say that at face value seems strange.

The full list of calling points really are not essential information. They can be conveyed on the platform, that way people only hear it once per train.

Utter rubbish. Firstly relies on platform PAs many of which are dire. Secondly, how not to be able to find out that you inadverently boarded the wrong train...

No you don't. take the next train today, the 12:15 to Paddington. It stops at 15 stations plaus it's ultimate destination Paddinghton. By the time the trains exits Cornwall and stops at Plymouth the announcement is for 6 stops plus Paddington. At Exeter it is only three plus Pad.
The other issue is that sometimes, stops can be added or additional stops are made. How does a blind person get to know that? Remember that each station may have passengers boarding who didn't hear whatever was announced at Penzance.

Absolutely.

I don’t think anyone is suggesting that announcements about where the train is headed should be banned. However, on LNER the other day at Edinburgh we had an actual police officer pop on to the PA before boarding to nanny people about masks, and then a full six minutes of waffle from the guard, most of which was detailing the 10,000 types of ticket not valid on the train. This all ought to be banned.

A good pair of noise cancelling headphones and Spotify are the traveller’s friend.

So remove the announcements about ticket validity and then watch the bleats about penalty fares or worse follow....

EMR is annoying on the stations during Rail Replacement. Announcing 'the next bus to arrive' is the '[origin departure] from [origin station]. That is annoying. Who cares about terminating services arriving. Especially Rail Reps. All people need to know is about departing buses but not arrivals.

You never met anyone at a station arriving from elsewhere then?

 

[AlterEgo]

So remove the announcements about ticket validity and then watch the bleats about penalty fares or worse follow....

Ignore them. It is not difficult to have the correct ticket - almost everyone travelling by train manages it every day - and the announcements are often full of factual inaccuracies about “this is an off peak train” anyway.

 

[ABB125]

I've just been asked by a member of staff on the LNER train I'm on if I'm interested in filling out a survey about on-board announcements. According to the survey once you go to it, the research is being carried out by RDG. Perchance this might be related to the subject of this thread?

(There's also a £5 Amazon voucher at the end, which is nice!)

 

[Wynd]

Little wonder why the sales of noise cancelling headphones continues to grow.

The ONLY announcements I pay any heed to are those made by the staff.

"we are late due to XYZ" and " the bar will close in 10 mins"

Anything less than that is ignored.

Noise canceling doesn't create silence, just filters the noise to make it 90% less audible.

 

[XAM2175]

According to the survey once you go to it, the research is being carried out by RDG. Perchance this might be related to the subject of this thread?

It seems likely, given it was mentioned twice in this thread last night:

Has anyone else been plucked on an EMR train recently to take part in a Tannoy Spam survey?

£5 reward as well.

No but at LNWR we've been given dates/services that these surveys are being conducted on

 

[leytongabriel]

For whatever reason, no automated announcements on the SWR train from Salisbury to London this evening. A restful journey. Bliss.

Brought down to the current bonkers 'normality' by TfL announcing the weekend line closures not once but twice between each central area station at full volume on the Victoria line. Once with the ' next station is ' announcement after you leave one station and once again with the announcement before you arrive at the next one. So twice every two minutes. All at full volume. Save us! If that's not nerdsville overkill I don't know what is. Other passengers covering their ears or repeating it laughing.

 

[Eskimo]

It seems likely, given it was mentioned twice in this thread last night:

Yep. Seems positive - The surveyor on our train charmed about 60 passengers into taking part. Polite and prolific.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Yep. Seems positive - The surveyor on our train charmed about 60 passengers into taking part. Polite and prolific.

If the reward is an Amazon voucher, as opposed to £5 in some other form, count me out. I have nothing to do with Amazon, and don't intend to start now.

In fact - wouldn't the more obvious thing (if it's going to be something tied to a specific use, rather than £5 to do what you want with) be to give a £5 voucher for train travel...?

 

[ABB125]

If the reward is an Amazon voucher, as opposed to £5 in some other form, count me out. I have nothing to do with Amazon, and don't intend to start now.

In fact - wouldn't the more obvious thing (if it's going to be something tied to a specific use, rather than £5 to do what you want with) be to give a £5 voucher for train travel...?

The survey itself is hosted by Opinium Research (but is being conducted by two separte survey companies which I can't remember), so I think it's based on what their platform can offer as a reward. I doubt rail vouchers are compatible with their system!

 

[jon0844]

Then at Leeds after announcing a train cancellation ‘you may be able to claim delay repay due to this cancellation’ (but no context as in how to do so!)

I think it's just a reminder to people that they can do something to get money back, and they'll either go online to find out more - or ask staff. If they can't figure out how to find out, so be it.

Given the railway is always accused of profiting from the fact most people don't bother to claim delay repay, this must be a positive - and only happens if there's a reason to say so. I'd hope we wouldn't get an automated announcement every 15 minutes simply to say 'IF your train is delayed....'.

 

[Eskimo]

If the reward is an Amazon voucher, as opposed to £5 in some other form, count me out. I have nothing to do with Amazon, and don't intend to start now.

In fact - wouldn't the more obvious thing (if it's going to be something tied to a specific use, rather than £5 to do what you want with) be to give a £5 voucher for train travel...?

Hold yer’ horses. IF you tick the ‘contact me for more surveying’ option at the end you might get another invite (I did) to another survey that promises more financial reward (non-Amazon affiliated) and a chance to ear test some new on-board dialogue. One step back for a big leap forward!

 

[island]

On a positive note, Southeastern killed the "you must wear a face covering" announcements overnight the day the law changed, and has not restored the announcement that played from July to November saying "please wear a face covering if your train is busy".

 

[Tracked]

I noted this morning that the special notices in Doncaster Station showed the "wear a face covering" and "See It, Say It, Sorted" messages, but not that Rotherham Central services were replaced by busses from Meadowhell and Swinton

 

[yoyothehobo]

Noticed today that at Leeds on the special notices board that there was one page telling us that it us equality week, one page telling us its our name week so you pronounce staff names correctly.

Then a single page that flicked through incredibly quickly (comparitively to the amount of info on it) that Northern services were cancelled to Doncaster and wakefield and those taking LNER services should go to York and change there.

Not the most helpful things to have on in times of disruption.

 

[Howardh]

Had the Northeneers e-mail survey this morning about announcements. Basically ticked all the boxes which said "scrap them". Can't imagine there will be many ticking the boxes in favour!

 

[yorkie]

I noted this morning that the special notices in Doncaster Station showed the "wear a face covering" and "See It, Say It, Sorted" messages, but not that Rotherham Central services were replaced by busses from Meadowhell and Swinton

Doncaster is managed by LNER, which says it all.

On a positive note, Southeastern killed the "you must wear a face covering" announcements overnight the day the law changed, and has not restored the announcement that played from July to November saying "please wear a face covering if your train is busy".

On my recent journeys, all companies seem to be largely doing better than before in this area (though it's not entirely consistent), except LNER who continue to be awful. If the Guard makes a disrespectful announcement on my train tomorrow, I will be having words...

 

[AM9]

Had the Northeneers e-mail survey this morning about announcements. Basically ticked all the boxes which said "scrap them". Can't imagine there will be many ticking the boxes in favour!

It is a survery of course and even if there is an overwhelming response of ticking all the boxes to remove them, such a move would still need to pass scrutiny of all the safety reasons for them as well as those that might give the TOC a legal liability defence.

 

[Howardh]

It is a survery of course and even if there is an overwhelming response of ticking all the boxes to remove them, such a move would still need to pass scrutiny of all the safety reasons for them as well as those that might give the TOC a legal liability defence.

I can barely remember any announcements at all on pacers. To be fair, if there were any they could hardly be heard! So trains have run perfectly well without them in the past; if we have to have announcements for safety where will it end? "Will all standing passengers please hold on to something so you won't fall if we stop suddenly" "If you buy a coffee it may be hot" etc etc. A line has to be drawn somewhere.

 

[AM9]

I can barely remember any announcements at all on pacers. To be fair, if there were any they could hardly be heard! So trains have run perfectly well without them in the past; if we have to have announcements for safety where will it end? "Will all standing passengers please hold on to something so you won't fall if we stop suddenly" "If you buy a coffee it may be hot" etc etc. A line has to be drawn somewhere.

We live in a different world in 2022 compared with when Pacers were introduced. That difference is cultural in terms of a duty to care and legal in terms of the penalties for getting it wrong.

 

[Howardh]

We live in a different world in 2022 compared with when Pacers were introduced. That difference is cultural in terms of a duty to care and legal in terms of the penalties for getting it wrong.

Yes I suppose we do sadly. Where's there's blame there's......
At least we are still allowed to put our earphones in to block the darned things out...can't do that on a plane when they are announcing the safety stuff, they walk down the aisle and maks sure you're listening!

 

[AM9]

Yes I suppose we do sadly. Where's there's blame there's......
At least we are still allowed to put our earphones in to block the darned things out...can't do that on a plane when they are announcing the safety stuff, they walk down the aisle and maks sure you're listening!

Of course you can plug your ears, however if you suffered a mishap because plugging your ears meant that you hadn't heard a safety related announcement, there would be no claim that you hadn't been informed. A safety matter is more important than any other event, but no claim against the railway would also apply if you missed a stop or a connection because you didn't hear an announcement that would have prevented you making such an error.

 

[40129]

Anyone else used Metrolink recently?

Despite face masks no longer being required and social distancing dropped, most trams are still playing full length covid announcements on the approach to every stop. Totally unnecessary imho and likely to cause passengers to tune out of other, important announcements.

 

[Pigeon]

Of course you can plug your ears, however if you suffered a mishap because plugging your ears meant that you hadn't heard a safety related announcement, there would be no claim that you hadn't been informed. A safety matter is more important than any other event, but no claim against the railway would also apply if you missed a stop or a connection because you didn't hear an announcement that would have prevented you making such an error.

See me, it would never occur to me to wonder if I had a "claim against the railway", whether I'd heard anything or not. Moreover, if anyone suggested that I did have one, I would suggest that they did something medically inadvisable with it.

Anyway, what if you're deaf? It's all just silly. What the government really ought to be doing is putting right whatever's gone wrong with the legal system that allows the notion of daft "claims" for trivial rubbish to be anything other than risible in the first place.

 

[AM9]

See me, it would never occur to me to wonder if I had a "claim against the railway", whether I'd heard anything or not. Moreover, if anyone suggested that I did have one, I would suggest that they did something medically inadvisable with it.

Anyway, what if you're deaf? It's all just silly. What the government really ought to be doing is putting right whatever's gone wrong with the legal system that allows the notion of daft "claims" for trivial rubbish to be anything other than risible in the first place.

It might suit you to regress to the situation before duty of care became a requirement, but rest assured it won't happen. As far as deaf passengers are concerned, they can expect adequate access to live information displays however much some might think it is unnecessary. The legal system responds to the wishes and needs of those that feel they have been wronged. Don't expect it to respond to whinges about it being trivial rubbish.

 

[miami]

At least we are still allowed to put our earphones in to block the darned things out...can't do that on a plane when they are announcing the safety stuff, they walk down the aisle and maks sure you're listening!

1) The safety thing is once per flight.

2) When I flew to the US earlier this month I had my headphones on (not playing anything, just keeping my ears warm), nothing was said.

BA do have lots of onboard adverts that play over the IFE - chugging, "how to change at heathrow", etc. Fortuantly IFE is no longer the necessity it once was.

there would be no claim that you hadn't been informed

I wonder if you could reasonably claim that the amount of notifications means that the buried safety announcement was effectively inaudiable because of the number of announcements.

 

[Howardh]

I wonder if you could reasonably claim that the amount of notifications means that the buried safety announcement was effectively inaudiable because of the number of announcements.

How many have their TV on all day at home and haven't a clue what's on? It's treated as audio wallpaper just to fill the silence? Wouldn't the same apply to train annoncements, they just simply go over everyone (no matter how loud they are) because there are so many?

 

[yorkie]

Huge amounts of "tannoy spam" continue to be made on my LNER journeys, including on some occasions misleading & inappropriate statements, but every other train company has been fine.