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

[Re6/6]

The railway today is acting like a nanny with its passengers. It just doesn’t trust them to go about their travels reminding them to do this and not to do that. The railway has evolved from the 19th century and managed its passengers pretty well. Everything thing has to be “safe” these days. It always has been and the railway would help itself by dropping the word “safe” when used. Far better to use the expression “technical reasons” when explaining a delay or a procedure.

Passengers like to be treated as adults and be informed with clear concise messages and not the drivel that is uttered today. Too much information broadcast, passengers switch off, which is precisely not what is wanted.

I have never heard the equivalent of the “See it. Say it. Sorted" announcement, on any other railway outside of the UK. This is more nannying should be dropped.

 

[billio]

That's proof that the message is useless. The third phrase is "Sorted"

No I am sure it is 'Sort it',
closely followed by 'into alphabetical order'.

 

[Berliner]

The railway today is acting like a nanny with its passengers. It just doesn’t trust them to go about their travels reminding them to do this and not to do that. The railway has evolved from the 19th century and managed its passengers pretty well. Everything thing has to be “safe” these days. It always has been and the railway would help itself by dropping the word “safe” when used. Far better to use the expression “technical reasons” when explaining a delay or a procedure.

Passengers like to be treated as adults and be informed with clear concise messages and not the drivel that is uttered today. Too much information broadcast, passengers switch off, which is precisely not what is wanted.

I have never heard the equivalent of the “See it. Say it. Sorted" announcement, on any other railway outside of the UK. This is more nannying should be dropped.

I've only heard the American one, which is "if you see something, say something". I think it started off on the New York Transit system but has spread nationwide now.

 

[Annetts key]

But…will it actually achieve anything, or is it merely another one of Grant Shapps' "look over there" attempts to distract from the farce that is the Williams-Shapps plan - or worse, the "Integrated Rail Plan" which he is already trying to defend by means of passing blame to others.

Sounds like more of the red meat ploy to me…

 

[LTJ87]

I remember when I used to commute regularly from Nottingham station. They would regularly repeat pointless announcements like "CCTV is in operation at this station for the purposes of safety and security management".

Personally, I don't mind on board train announcements. What is annoying, on the EMR Meridians for example, is level of background noise / interference you can often get when a Train Manager makes an announcement. Or, on some South Western Railway trains, where an announcement actually needs be made, and you can barely hear what is being said.

 

[Peter0124]

Can they please get rid of the "please take care on the stairs" announcements. I don't see who those can possibly benefit, apart from insurers

Oh god, Glasgow Queen Street is annoying for that

Also hate it when auto announcements are cut off mid sentence by a manual one literally repeating the same information like what is the point?

EDIT: On the topic of auto-announcements, I also much prefer the old announcer on the Argyle/North Clyde lines compared to the one from 2019.

 

[PG]

Also hate it when auto announcements are cut off mid sentence by a manual one literally repeating the same information like what is the point?

Does make me wonder if the person doing the manual announcements is sat in an insulated room where they can't hear what has just gone out? Hence why they repeat it. Still daft and maybe a text display showing what auto announcement is playing could avoid this...?

 

[387star]

Hopefully this extends to GWR Turbos and their ridiculously loud announcements with an evil click as it cuts out thrown in for good measure

 

[CBlue]

The railway today is acting like a nanny with its passengers. It just doesn’t trust them to go about their travels reminding them to do this and not to do that. The railway has evolved from the 19th century and managed its passengers pretty well. Everything thing has to be “safe” these days. It always has been and the railway would help itself by dropping the word “safe” when used. Far better to use the expression “technical reasons” when explaining a delay or a procedure.

Passengers like to be treated as adults and be informed with clear concise messages and not the drivel that is uttered today. Too much information broadcast, passengers switch off, which is precisely not what is wanted.

I have never heard the equivalent of the “See it. Say it. Sorted" announcement, on any other railway outside of the UK. This is more nannying should be dropped.

Yes, the railway today has evolved from the 19th century. Much in the same way we no longer shove small children up chimneys to clean them or dump effluent in the streets.


While I am not a fan of the "see it, say it" etc announcements.....your argument that the world "safe" shouldn't be used is puzzling.

The railways have an uphill battle to grow passenger numbers. Anything that doesn't reassure the passenger that it is a safe mode of travel isn't an incentive - as has been said before on this forum, the rule book is written in blood.

 

[Bikeman78]

It's a key piece of reassurance to occasional passengers, and is probably the announcement of the highest value other than the end destination.

The other option is to go "full Takt" and so the destination and route number provides you all you need to know, as per a bus. I don't think listing the stops on Merseyrail is useful, because calling patterns are consistent (bar Capenhurst, but you could just announce which ones don't stop), and indeed it didn't until it switched to a more standard PIS.

Everything has stopped at Capenhurst since Covid. Even when it went back to quarter hourly they used an extra set with more turn round time.

 

[BluePenguin]

There are too many repetitions of announcements of where the train is going and where it is stopping.
Recently travelled from Ramsgate to Victoria via Canterbury West and Maidstone East on a train which calls all stations to Otford then semi fast.. At Ramsgate station the station calls were announced. Before we left Ramsgate two on train announcements announced the stations we were calling then at each station the stations we were stopping at were repeated again.

On Southeastern that is pretty standard and to be expected on all mainlines services. For the last 20 years I have had the joy of listening to these long winded and repeated announcements whenever I travel to London. Over time as more stops were added to services they have become progressively worse. Not even London Overground is this bad.

Especially since the semi-fast services to Victoria and Charing Cross were scrapped. Today I believe Dover - Victoria services are the worst for announcements. At certain times of day they call at every single station until Bromley South. This involves listening to the announcement no less than 25 times.

As a side note, if heading to Victoria why did you travel via Maidstone? From Ramsgate it is quicker via Chatham

 

[Bikeman78]

I have never heard the equivalent of the “See it. Say it. Sorted" announcement, on any other railway outside of the UK. This is more nannying should be dropped.

Same here. Why do we feel the need to do it in the UK? Are we public enemy number one? It seems to me that the terrorists have won because we are reminded about them every time we go near the railway.

 

[AlterEgo]

Quite true. Sometimes it feels like a vocal minority of "enthusiasts" would rather everyone else **** off so they can have train services to themselves and not have to share public transport with...err, the public.

Removing announcements for such things as where the train stops en route is a key part of encouraging people to use the services - especially if it's a service they haven't used before!

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.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Even worse still is what many LNR guards do and talk over the top of them, saying what they would have said less clearly. This needs to be banned. If you have a working autoannouncer, the guard should never repeat what it has said, and should only announce information that is additional to it on the rare occasion there is any (e.g. reasons for delay on board, which on-board autoannouncers tend not to handle). If it is not working or otherwise providing misinformation, it needs to be turned off.

You keep repeating this message, we get it.

The reason LNWR Conductors repeat what the auto-announcer says is because it's part of the SQR regime and they are scored on it.

We know excess announcements are annoying, but I don't see this changing as it's the DfT who introduces SQR

 

[Fokx]

The railway today is acting like a nanny with its passengers. It just doesn’t trust them to go about their travels reminding them to do this and not to do that.

But it’s also the same railway that has to remind passengers to lock a toilet door while they use it

 

[Falcon1200]

Since moving to GWR land I've discovered the "please use the handrail" message which seems to be activated once you step on to a footbridge.

This was still playing at Oxford the other day after the handrails had just been repainted alongside lots of tape / bollards / signs stating "Wet Paint"

Long before Covid was a thing, studies of things such as door handles used by the general public have shown all kinds of nasty stuff on them, including faecal matter, so sorry GWR, I will most certainly not be using the handrails at Oxford or anywhere else, especially now. Even if they have just been repainted !

 

[Bletchleyite]

You keep repeating this message, we get it.

The reason LNWR Conductors repeat what the auto-announcer says is because it's part of the SQR regime and they are scored on it.

We know excess announcements are annoying, but I don't see this changing as it's the DfT who introduces SQR

Does the SQR require you to talk over the top of it?

 

[steamybrian]

As a side note, if heading to Victoria why did you travel via Maidstone? From Ramsgate it is quicker via Chatham

Thank you- As former BR staff and I have been a resident of Kent for over 45 years I am fully conversant with the train services and their routes.. The reason I travelled that route is for different scenery and in no particular rush.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Does the SQR require you to talk over the top of it?

No, I can't think of a reason why anyone would so that other than possibly to shut it up so you only get the 1 set of announcements. Guessing depending on the traction it could work.

 

[seagull]

Just a few minutes at a well-known station in North-west England yielded this impressive crop of verbal mayhem:

"Platform 1 for the xx.xx (insert train operator here) service to xxx, calling at xxx and xxx. This train is formed of x coaches." (repeated multiple times per train scheduled)

"The next train to arrive at Platform 6 will be the xx.xx train to xxx, calling at xxx and xxx. This train is formed of xx coaches. The onboard shop is in coach X."

"24 hour CCTV monitoring is in use at this station for the purposes of safety and security."

"This is a security message. If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016. We'll sort it. See it, say it, sorted."

"The next train to arrive at Platform 6 will be the xx.xx train to xxx, calling at xxx and xxx. This train is formed of xx coaches. You can find the shop in coach C for delicious hot and cold refreshments."

"For your safety and comfort, this station operates a no-smoking policy."

"We are sorry that the xx.xx train to xxx is delayed. We apologise for the disruption to your journey today and any inconvenience caused."

"Please do not leave your luggage unattended on the station. Luggage left unattended may be removed without warning, or destroyed or damaged by security services."

"In the interests of customer safety, please stand clear of the platform edge and behind the yellow line until the train comes to a complete stand, and allow customers to alight, before trying to board. Thank you."

---

Interesting contrast to a visit just before Covid to a similar sized Dutch railway station where the only announcements were for the occasional delayed train. Of course they have the benefit of a timetable that uses the same platform for any particular destination every time it departs.

 

[markymark2000]

Then there’s others about doors closing before departure time.

Simple solution which for some reason the railways hasn't clocked on to, we already have Great British Timetable and Working Timetable. Just make the GBTT earlier to reflect the time that the doors actually close. Then all of the boards will show the supposed actual departure time. That would be so much better than having to announce the doors close early and the much abuse which I think station staff get where these situations occur.

That said, with the exception of slam doors, I see no reason for doors to close 2 minutes prior to departure. 1 minute should be the maximum.

I’ve always found EMR to be rather adequate.

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.

 

[Gareth]

Just a few minutes at a well-known station in North-west England yielded this impressive crop of verbal mayhem:

"Platform 1 for the xx.xx (insert train operator here) service to xxx, calling at xxx and xxx. This train is formed of x coaches." (repeated multiple times per train scheduled)

"The next train to arrive at Platform 6 will be the xx.xx train to xxx, calling at xxx and xxx. This train is formed of xx coaches. The onboard shop is in coach X."

"24 hour CCTV monitoring is in use at this station for the purposes of safety and security."

"This is a security message. If you see something that doesn't look right, text the British Transport Police on 61016. We'll sort it. See it, say it, sorted."

"The next train to arrive at Platform 6 will be the xx.xx train to xxx, calling at xxx and xxx. This train is formed of xx coaches. You can find the shop in coach C for delicious hot and cold refreshments."

"For your safety and comfort, this station operates a no-smoking policy."

"We are sorry that the xx.xx train to xxx is delayed. We apologise for the disruption to your journey today and any inconvenience caused."

"Please do not leave your luggage unattended on the station. Luggage left unattended may be removed without warning, or destroyed or damaged by security services."

"In the interests of customer safety, please stand clear of the platform edge and behind the yellow line until the train comes to a complete stand, and allow customers to alight, before trying to board. Thank you."

---

Interesting contrast to a visit just before Covid to a similar sized Dutch railway station where the only announcements were for the occasional delayed train. Of course they have the benefit of a timetable that uses the same platform for any particular destination every time it departs.

I would've said that was Lime Street, if not for the Platform 6 stuff. Basically, the announcements are constant. If there's no departure imminent, it prattles on like you describe about smoking, unattended luggage and "today's wet weather".

 

[mirodo]

An interesting announcement I heard when I was recently on the Underground was 'beggars are operating on this service please do not encourage them' (not exact wording by any means!) - I assume that is an automated announcement unless a driver clocked a known beggar had boarded (as coincidentally enough there was one roaming up and down the service at the time!)

I’ve heard this on services between Clapham Junction and Wimbledon in the past… it always seemed to trigger at the same point in the journey.

 

[Peter0124]

I would've said that was Lime Street, if not for the Platform 6 stuff. Basically, the announcements are constant. If there's no departure imminent, it prattles on like you describe about smoking, unattended luggage and "today's wet weather".

It must be either Preston or Crewe going by the Plat 6

 

[Jordan1296]

Southern are prime example.

The train itself need not announce every station its stopping at every stop. The following would be appropriate...

On the approach to East Croydon > "we are now approaching East Croydon"

On Arrival at East Croydon >
"welcome aboard the Caterham and Tattenham Corner service, the next station is South Croydon"

One minute from South Croydon
"This is the Caterham and Tattenham Corner service, the next station is South Croydon"

this would be adequate.

See it say it sorted needs to be got rid entirely.

This is what ScotRail do quite well. They only announce a full list of calling points at major interchange stations.

Example at an ordinary station: "This is Portlethen. This train is for Montrose. The next stop is Stonehaven."

Example at an interchange station: "This is Dundee. This train is for Glasgow Queen Street. This train will call at Perth, Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street. The next stop is Perth."

 

[physics34]

This is what ScotRail do quite well. They only announce a full list of calling points at major interchange stations.

Example at an ordinary station: "This is Portlethen. This train is for Montrose. The next stop is Stonehaven."

Example at an interchange station: "This is Dundee. This train is for Glasgow Queen Street. This train will call at Perth, Stirling and Glasgow Queen Street. The next stop is Perth."

Perfect

 

[swt_passenger]

If you were to ask a TOC why the current announcements are made, wouldn’t they just reply that they are doing exactly what the DfT have asked them for, especially concerning RVAR matters?

 

[seagull]

It must be either Preston or Crewe going by the Plat 6

Correct: Crewe it was.

 

[Bikeman78]

I would've said that was Lime Street, if not for the Platform 6 stuff. Basically, the announcements are constant. If there's no departure imminent, it prattles on like you describe about smoking, unattended luggage and "today's wet weather".

It's the same at Reading. It never shuts up. Recently my son enquired why do they keeping saying random stuff that everybody already knows. It's a sad reflection on society that grown adults have to be told (or at least the railway thinks they have to be told) things that a five year old considers obvious.

 

[sjm77]

I appreciate that it's annoying but (genuinely) what's the alternative?

This is easy to answer; Only make an announcement when there has been a change of the trains expected arrival time of 2 minutes. In my example this would of reduced the number of announcements from 5 to 2, a 60% reduction. Simples.