On train announcements - number to be reduce??

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Can't say they hugely bother me, I'm usually reading/day dreaming/working (or a combination of all three!).

I think the opinions that really count here are those of the visually impaired who rely on audio, rather than visual guidance.

I'm happy to put up with something that's possibly mildly irritating if it makes their lives easier, and I count my blessings.

[TonyK]

1 - Yes - cut the "See it, say it, sorted" type of announcement.

And even more so TfW's awful epic pre-recorded bilingual announcement exhorting people to wash their hands, keep their distance, pay their fares, tuck their shirt in, avoid having their luggage blown up by the British Transport Police, and mind the gap between the train and the platform. If they got Reginald Bosanquet to read it, it might end up in the charts.

I had forgotten about Wales. Perhaps the Welsh version could be set to Cwm Rhondda?

[Lee]

1 - Yes - cut the "See it, say it, sorted" type of announcement.

And even more so TfW's awful epic pre-recorded bilingual announcement exhorting people to wash their hands, keep their distance, pay their fares, tuck their shirt in, avoid having their luggage blown up by the British Transport Police, and mind the gap between the train and the platform. If they got Reginald Bosanquet to read it, it might end up in the charts.

I had forgotten about Wales. Perhaps the Welsh version could be set to Cwm Rhondda?

[froome]

While we are having a good moan-

I cannot find a voting button for my views, which are-

1 - Yes - cut the "See it, say it, sorted" type of announcement.

2 - Yes - if they are automated, get them right! Nearly 20 years of commuting on Turbos with frequent problems including - announcements from the wrong line, announcements one or two stations out, in "reverse" order - often linked to the same problem on the "walking writing" internal signage.

3 - Get the volume right - often they are too quiet (useless - and often the case with announcements by train crew which are often given when things are going wrong and passengers really want to hear them) and just sometimes unbearably loud.

4 - Each station should be announced clearly shortly before arrival.

5 - We should not forget the needs of the visually impaired - so concentrate on telling people where they are and where they are going.

Yes, nos 2 and 3 are particular bugbears of mine.

I really don't understand why so many trains have announcements or even more often screen information that is both wrong and misleading. Often it is one or two stations out, and can easily lead to someone who does not know the area well (or isn't concentrating on looking outside) getting out at the wrong station. One train I recently travelled on had on screen information for a completely different journey displayed for the whole journey, and people would get on, look at the screen, assume they had got on the wrong train and get off again. We (the passengers) had to shout to them that they were on the right train.

I've raised these issues with on-board staff, and they usually haven't noticed themselves and say they can't control them.

Volume of announcements is rarely right. They seem to usually be just too muffled to be able to hear clearly what is being said.

And while it is slightly off-topic, why do large stations like Temple Meads have announcements on different platforms at differing volumes at the same time, so that one drowns out the one you are trying to hear on your platform?

[jamestheredengine]

1 - Yes - cut the "See it, say it, sorted" type of announcement.

And even more so TfW's awful epic pre-recorded bilingual announcement exhorting people to wash their hands, keep their distance, pay their fares, tuck their shirt in, avoid having their luggage blown up by the British Transport Police, and mind the gap between the train and the platform. If they got Reginald Bosanquet to read it, it might end up in the charts.

I had forgotten about Wales. Perhaps the Welsh version could be set to Cwm Rhondda?

Cedwch bellter, golchwch ddwylo,
Prynwch docyn, byddwch saff,
Cedwch afael yn eich bagiau
Rhag ffrwydriadau'r camera craff.
Gwyliwch wagle, gwyliwch wagle!
Bob un orsaf i Gaerdydd!
Bob un orsaf i Gaerdydd!

[TonyK]

Very topical! ^^

[Rhydgaled]

I suppose it depends how long the travel time between stops is (on a service with lots of stops close together this wouldn't work) but I'd assume you have something like "Welcome aboard, this is the 09:57 service to Fishguard Harbour calling at Port Talbot Parkway, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Whitland, Fishguard & Goodwick and Fishguard Harbour, our next stop is Port Talbot Parkway" just after departure from each scheduled calling station (and, possibly, every 7-10 minutes on a service that is sat in a platform at the origin station waiting for its departure time) plus "we will shortly be arriving at XXX' just before each scheduled station call.

Have this bit OR 'your attention please' - NOT both - if you use 'your attention please' then you can put 'thank you' at the end.

I really don't understand why so many trains have announcements or even more often screen information that is both wrong and misleading. Often it is one or two stations out

Some systems cannot handle request stops; they might start out correct but then a request stop comes along and either the information system assumes the train stops (and nobody wants the stop, so it doesn't stop) or it assumes the train doesn't stop (and somebody requests it, so it stops) and gets either one stop ahead or one stop behind. I'm guessing those systems are linked to the door controls so that, if the door opens, it advances to whatever it's database says the next stop should be.

[FarWestJohn]

I don't see why you need announcements when the train starts moving from a station stop. The folks on the train have been told many times where the stops are. The new folks boarding have been bombarded with both visual displays and oral announcements when waiting for the train. Many modern trains also have the destination and next calling point outside the train near the doors. Possibly all that is needed is the next station stop is ***.

[grahame]

Poll closed:

Are there too many on train announcements?
Yes - there should be less   - 24 (85.7%)
There are about the right numbers   - 1 (3.6%)
No - there should be more   - 0 (0%)
Don't know - not thought about it   - 0 (0%)
Doesn't matter to me   - 3 (10.7%)

Apart from confirmatory votes (such as in support of our constitution) I don't think I have ever seen such a strong result one way or other here, and with only a few "don't care" votes too.

A strong message to thems who decides on announcements that they are irritating the bajebas off their regulars, though they do have to balance the reduction in announcements with the risks involved with not informing occasional travellers - who are unlikely to be voters here, that they must mind the gap between the train and the platform, take all their possessions with them on leaving the train, and tell someone if they see something suspicious.