Great Western Coffee Shop

First Group will ban employees from using mobile phones even with legal hands-free kits, from next year (link below.)
http://www.theticketcollector.co.uk/wordpress/2007/12/20/first-group-bans-hands-free-mobiles/

FirstGroup^s bus and train drivers are already banned from using them and this ban will extend to any staff on business.

Will this include guards? And if so why?

Wont be such a bad thing, they cant ring you half way through your shift and say "can you do a bit of overtime, we're in the sh1t"!

Vacman seems to have allready seen the good side of this request! BUT, what happens when you need to rin control on the move then!

Don't units have a phone up front?

NRN - but that hardly works in Cornwall!

Think guards would cope without phones as 1) it takes your entire shift for anyone in Swindon to answer and 2) when they do answer they are about as much use as ringing your gran.

But the ban is only on 'hands free' equipment which ive never seen anyone at work use anyway so not sure what the fuss it about....

As drivers are already not permitted to have their mobiles switched on when driving/in the driving cab one might suppose it is being extended to cover other staff to stop them "talking to themselves" in front of customers. Trolley/catering staff have been known to have their bluetooth ear thingies on and ignorantly try to serve and chat.

It must be personal mobiles too as the company one for train crew does not have handsfree........

It might knock some people into next week, but back in the old days (1990 and before) Mobiles were placed over a Babys cot and would keep the little Chap happy.
However did people manage without a Mobile Phone.