Are too loud and too many PRM alarms and announcements making travellers uptight.....

[CaptainHaddock]

So, if the re is announcement announcing some late journey arrangements saying passengers for xxx should alight at xxx instead, you run the risk of getting overcarried.

It's a risk I'd happily take in return for some peace and quiet!

 

[Tom B]

There's certainly some irony in an announcement made in a tone suggesting a runaway hippopotamus is chasing after the Guard, at full volume and with great urgency, advising people that coach B is the quiet coach before going on to list all the sandwiches etc at full pelt.

 

[itsthechoochoo]

So, if there is announcement announcing some late journey arrangements saying passengers for xxx should alight at xxx instead, you run the risk of getting overcarried.

Well ok, emergency announcements fine. More likely to grab ones attention actually.

 

[PHILIPE]

Well ok, emergency announcements fine. More likely to grab ones attention actually.

I don't think any TOC would dispense with Safety and Nanny state announcements

 

[Peter Sarf]

Do people really need to be told that a bus is about to move? I can't understand why one would need to be told that a bus was about to move, it's sort of the whole point of getting on a bus isn't it? Who comes up with this drivel?

Of course they don't! But with so many accidents happening, the powers that be decided that they needed to state the obvious at every stop. The drivel probably was thought up by staff in a nursery. They must think that people are stupid.

What next? The wheels on the bus go round and round all day long, which means it might get very bumpy so make sure to duck a little to avoid banging your head?

I must admit though, on the hybrid busses a warning that the bus is about to move is needed. On my 119 route we have hybrid busses and so there is no clue (engine note changing or vibration) that the bus is about to lurch forward. It fools me very often and it is only a matter of time before I will go flying, possibly down the stairs. I have noticed that outside London a bus is more likely to wait for people to sit down and the bus seems to accelerate less aggressively. So I have come to the conclusion that London has a faster pace. I have also noticed that driving is slower outside London - I have to remember to be patient and also use less petrol !.

I have also noticed on some London routes that there is a very slight toot on the horn just before the bus starts to move. That seems to be reliably just before movement occurs. I assume it is to automatically warn the myriad of pedestrians and cyclists but it helps me as a passenger also.

 

[fowler9]

I must admit though, on the hybrid busses a warning that the bus is about to move is needed. On my 119 route we have hybrid busses and so there is no clue (engine note changing or vibration) that the bus is about to lurch forward. It fools me very often and it is only a matter of time before I will go flying, possibly down the stairs. I have noticed that outside London a bus is more likely to wait for people to sit down and the bus seems to accelerate less aggressively. So I have come to the conclusion that London has a faster pace. I have also noticed that driving is slower outside London - I have to remember to be patient and also use less petrol !.

I have also noticed on some London routes that there is a very slight toot on the horn just before the bus starts to move. That seems to be reliably just before movement occurs. I assume it is to automatically warn the myriad of pedestrians and cyclists but it helps me as a passenger also.

I hate the hybrid buses we have in Liverpool. They seem to stall almost to a standstill as the diesel kicks in, normally just as I am halfway up the stairs. Ha ha.

 

[anamyd]

If you travel in a designated quiet carriage, then you should be entitled to hear no announcements whatsoever. The passengers respect the wishes of the train operator to keep quiet (well most of them do) so why can't their staff do the same? Just switch off the speakers.

Does anyone actually know whether train PA systems have an amplifier in each carriage or what...? Regardless, I don't think they're "zoned" - the same audio signal is played in every carriage and at a single volume level... And even if each carriage has its own amplifier, I don't think they can be "switched off" on a per-carriage basis...

 

[TRAX]

The main issue here is that passengers tend to ignore all PA announcements because they are sick of them and used to repetitive security announcements (and rightly so); they then don’t notice what is for once an important information. And then it’s the TOC’s fault if they get the feeling that the platform alteration wasn’t announced (and honestly for once I’d agree).

 

[Islineclear3_1]

There is a big correlation between stress and noise pollution and it gets worse the older one gets. Stress causes hypervigilance and sets the body's flight or fight systems into play causing us to become more annoyed with certain sounds - including unecessary, repetitive PTA announcements. Hyperacusis (decreased sound tolerance) and tinnitus (noises in the ears) are on the rise

 

[Warwick]

"The buffet is now open". That's all the information that is needed. Even the most dim Chimp-brained punter knows what is on sale in buffets. We don't need to be told that there's a selection of hot and cold drinks, various sandwiches, hot bacon rolls, wines and beers ..........". IT'S A BUFFET!

 

[adamello]

There is a growing concern in the Maritime world of alarm fatigue, where you get so used to the sound of something going off that you tune out and miss it completely,

various announcments, chimes, buzzers etc. on the railway could easily have the same affect on passengers and staff alike

 

[Dougal2345]

There's a lift on the Victoria Line at Kings Cross/St.Pancras that carries you all of 12 feet. Whenever I've used it, it makes this earsplittingly loud high pitched warbling alarm. I've no idea what it's trying to tell me - lift overloaded? Fire? Maybe it just doesn't like my face.

Maybe all Underground lifts do that, but it's the only one I use on the whole.

 

[Ibex]

Does anyone actually know whether train PA systems have an amplifier in each carriage or what...? Regardless, I don't think they're "zoned" - the same audio signal is played in every carriage and at a single volume level... And even if each carriage has its own amplifier, I don't think they can be "switched off" on a per-carriage basis...

I'm not sure about amplifiers etc but I know the PA on Pendolino units can be zoned to only make announcements in individual carriages although the only time I've been aware of the functionality actually being used was a Train Manager doing a music quiz "these are the songs for people in coaches A, B and C..." which then ended in Baby Shark as we rolled into Piccadilly...

 

[Esker-pades]

The problem I have with ScotRail announcements is that they only tell people it is a request stop on the approach. There is a little 'x' next to the request stops when the station scrolls through, but the meaning isn't made clear. It also doesn't help blind/partially sighted people. It is only when the train is practically on top of the station does it say "We are now approaching Culrain. This is a request stop." Usually the guard announces which stations are request stops, but this is only at the start of the journey. It caught someone out who was alighting at Altnabreac and found herself being taken on a 3 hour round trip to Thurso and Wick because the train is the only way to get there.

The most minimalistic announcements I've come across are on the DOO ScotRail services where manual announcements are made. The pattern is "Inverkip. Next stop IBM."

As for length, I was recently on a Virgin service where the catering guy gave a 5 minute announcement (literally) about the buffet car. How long does it take to say "we have a buffet car aboard in coaches X and Y"? 5 minutes apparantly.

I don't like announcements, especially loud ones, but I understand that some announcements have to be made. Non-suplerfluous announcements at a reasonable volume would be brilliant.

 

[Dr_Paul]

I have also noticed on some London routes that there is a very slight toot on the horn just before the bus starts to move. That seems to be reliably just before movement occurs. I assume it is to automatically warn the myriad of pedestrians and cyclists but it helps me as a passenger also.

I wondered about that, and some years back asked about it on a bus forum. A bus driver replied that it's nothing to do with a warning horn, but is something mechanical, I forget precisely what, that automatically goes off when the bus starts.

 

[Dr_Paul]

I am fed up with that 'sorted' security announcement that goes off on every train up to Waterloo on which I travel as the train leaves the stations and sometimes in between stations, and is also regularly repeated over station tannoys. The woman announcer's simpering voice is bad enough, and the use of the word 'sorted' -- used here in the slang London term for 'sorted out' or 'dealt with' -- is even more annoying. But even if it were presented in a less irritating manner, would not the endless repetition be self-defeating, being just one more part of the almost continual aural clutter that plagues railway journeys these days?

 

[Ken H]

There is a growing concern in the Maritime world of alarm fatigue, where you get so used to the sound of something going off that you tune out and miss it completely,

various announcments, chimes, buzzers etc. on the railway could easily have the same affect on passengers and staff alike

I think that was concern with AWS on routes where the driver is running on double yellows all the time and every signal gets a warning hooter. Then he misses the single yellow. I think thats why southern Region resisted AWS at first, and developed SRAWS
(SRAWS has been discussed on another thread.)

Edit: SRAWS mentioned on this thread - https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/why-isnt-there-a-hud-for-train-drivers.174246/

 

[anamyd]

I'm not sure about amplifiers etc but I know the PA on Pendolino units can be zoned to only make announcements in individual carriages although the only time I've been aware of the functionality actually being used was a Train Manager doing a music quiz "these are the songs for people in coaches A, B and C..." which then ended in Baby Shark as we rolled into Piccadilly...

Right!

 

[boxy321]

I'm not sure about amplifiers etc but I know the PA on Pendolino units can be zoned to only make announcements in individual carriages although the only time I've been aware of the functionality actually being used was a Train Manager doing a music quiz "these are the songs for people in coaches A, B and C..." which then ended in Baby Shark as we rolled into Piccadilly...

Those of us who use 390s often are more than aware of Taff, I think the TM is called. He often gives a rendition of Always Look on the Bright Side... at New St and runs the quiz on Manchester trains, which I think is his usual route.

Coventry has just had new buses delivered with the 'The next stop is... wherever' announcement before every stop. I've heard this on other services and it's infuriating. It is for visually impaired people, probably about 0.05% of passengers. The other 99.95% suffer mental torture. Said people in my experience either know the number of stops to go or simply ask driver for their stop to be announced.

The technology bandwagon is sending us down the pan. I said to the posters who berated me, 'Would you like it if I sat next to you on a bus and read out that announcement every 30 seconds?'

 

[Dr_Paul]

London buses have had 'next stop' announcements for quite some time. I don't find them that obtrusive, and in that respect travelling on London buses is a lot less bothersome than on railways with their endless array of announcements.

About a year back London buses started having a warning that the bus was moving off and asked passengers to hold on tight. Now these were annoying, and were discontinued after a while, probably not on the grounds that they were so annoying but because in nearly every instance they didn't start until the bus was on its way, rendering them somewhat pointless.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Yes, I find the "next stop" announcements on the buses quite audibly pleasant and comfortable and they are visually repeated as well

I try and tune out the annoying repetitive announcements on the trains but its hard when they're so loud...

Wonder if I've got a case for noise-induced hearing loss...

 

[jon0844]

Coventry has just had new buses delivered with the 'The next stop is... wherever' announcement before every stop. I've heard this on other services and it's infuriating. It is for visually impaired people, probably about 0.05% of passengers. The other 99.95% suffer mental torture. Said people in my experience either know the number of stops to go or simply ask driver for their stop to be announced.'

Well done for the bus company thinking of the 0.05% of passengers even if you don't care for it. This is why Governments have to legislate, or else people less fortunate would probably not get any help at all.

I am all for reducing some announcements, but many are essential. Perhaps they can be shortened, but they must happen.

 

[Lockwood]

As a non-visually impaired person, I also find the bus information useful.

Travelling on a route I don't often use, knowing that the next stop is "Somewhere underground Station" is useful. Otherwise, we stop and then the bus moves on and I see the station just around the corner and the bus feels like it goes on for miles until the next stop.

 

[trivran]

Those of us who use 390s often are more than aware of Taff, I think the TM is called. He often gives a rendition of Always Look on the Bright Side... at New St and runs the quiz on Manchester trains, which I think is his usual route.

Coventry has just had new buses delivered with the 'The next stop is... wherever' announcement before every stop. I've heard this on other services and it's infuriating. It is for visually impaired people, probably about 0.05% of passengers. The other 99.95% suffer mental torture. Said people in my experience either know the number of stops to go or simply ask driver for their stop to be announced.

The technology bandwagon is sending us down the pan. I said to the posters who berated me, 'Would you like it if I sat next to you on a bus and read out that announcement every 30 seconds?'

What routes are these? I haven't yet noticed.

 

[GW43125]

What routes are these? I haven't yet noticed.

Mainly the 11 and 12X.

The announcements though should put an end to the panic of people jumping up and spamming the button as they cross the railway line, not realising the bus doubles back on itself into the station car park! (yes I've done this). I digress, however.

 

[Stevec101]

It's not just on the train. Sitting at Derby station listening to the constant mind numbing announcements going around on a loop. It was like mental torture. Watch out for slippery surfaces don't forget the 3 sss's on and on. Then you get on the train it's endless.

 

[Matt_pool]

I used to get the 7.59 from Aigburth to Liverpool Central. I usually arrived a couple of minutes early, as you do, and the train was nearly always on time.

But on a few occasions it would be 2 or 3 minutes late. For some bizarre reason just after 8am there would be an automated announcement over the station tannoy along the lines of:

"Merseyrail don't allow alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the trains or platforms etc".

You would only hear this announcement if the train was delayed, and if the train was on time no one would hear it, unless you had just turned up at the station and missed the train.

It was a pointless announcement at that time of day, unless they thought that all commuters on a Monday morning had a tendency to crack open a can of Special Brew on the way to work!

 

[Scott M]

Yes I agree the announcements are too long and the doors too loud. West Midlands entering new street for example, the automated PA says: “The next station is Birmingham new street. Change here for services across the West Midlands and other long distance services. If you are leaving the train here, you will find it easiest to access other platforms from the B end of the platform. Please do not leave your belongings unattended, they may be removed without notice. If you see something that doesn’t look right, please speak to staff or call the british transport police on 61016. We’ll sort it: see it, say it, sorted.” This is usually followed by the guard saying something like “Ladies and gentleman this is Birmingham new street, where we will continue towards xyz, calling at....”.

Annoys me too when guards repeat what the PA says - eg PA says “This is Sandwell and Dudley” and guard says “Ladies and gentleman, this is Sandwell and Dudley” ... yes we just heard that...

 

[c52]

The female voice doing automated announcements on Southern has a voice which is very easy to ignore, or perfectly clear if you happen to need to listen.

There is one announcement that's usually missing: If you're in the wrong half of this train, there will be time at xxx to walk along the platform to the correct half of the train. Otherwise we get two small crowds of people pushing past each other as they walk along the train in opposite directions.

 

[mde]

The female voice doing automated announcements on Southern has a voice which is very easy to ignore, or perfectly clear if you happen to need to listen.

Julie Berry?