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Southall bi-lingual signs post Elizabeth line

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bicbasher

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Does anyone know if TfL will have new Gurmuki script signs once the station gets fully re-branded? GWR kept them during their management of the station.
 
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hassaanhc

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FGW actually removed them back in 2007 after complaints about the Punjabi language being used instead of one of the many others widely spoken in the area, but they had to back down as they're still there today (TfL haven't covered them up when they put stickers over FGW logos). I'd be shocked if more than a couple or so Punjabi signs (if that even) remain when the new roundels come once Crossrail is launched.

This is what happened in 2007 (quote from link at the top)
Language row over station signs

Bilingual signs at a west London railway station are to be taken down after complaints from ethnic groups.
Signs at Southall station appear in English and Punjabi.

Two weeks ago train operator First Great Western (FGW) decided to remove the signs after receiving calls for other languages to be displayed.

FGW said it would be impossible to display every language and it would be consulting the community to find a permanent solution.

A FGW spokesman said it was awaiting a date for a meeting between its managers and Ealing MP Virendra Sharma.

'Diverse culture'

In the mean meantime he said the company would be adopting government guidelines which require only the English language to be used.

According to FGW signs have been displayed in English and Punjabi for about 12 years after an agreement between the council and the community.

However it was forced to take action after ethnic groups in the Southall area "raised issues with the use of station signage in one specific language other than English".

A statement said: "We have therefore consulted within the community and have decided to review the signage.

"However desirable in our diverse culture, it would be impossible to provide station signage for every language, but we... hope to reach a solution that meets the needs of local people as soon as possible."
 

greyman42

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As I see it, the station is in London, in England, so the signs should be in English.
 

AndyNLondon

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As I see it, the station is in London, in England, so the signs should be in English.
Because heaven forbid that we might have signs that acknowledge that there are places in England where significant parts of the population speak languages other than English. :rolleyes:
 

WelshBluebird

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As I see it, the station is in London, in England, so the signs should be in English.

So based on that, Cardiff Central station is in Cardiff, in Wales, so the signs should be in Welsh?
There is nothing at all wrong with having signs in both the mother language of the area and also in the language of a large local population (as long as we don't start getting confusing with 4 different languages for example!). It is not harming anyone.
 

GatwickDepress

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As I see it, the station is in London, in England, so the signs should be in English.
Wallsend on the Tyne and Wear Metro.
360px-Wallsend_platfom_2_02.jpg

Romanes eunt domus.
 

greyman42

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Because heaven forbid that we might have signs that acknowledge that there are places in England where significant parts of the population speak languages other than English. :rolleyes:
Sounds very politically correct.
 

LeeLivery

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As I see it, the station is in London, in England, so the signs should be in English.

I'm guessing you don't like the bilingual PA at London Marylebone either then.

I think GWR should have signs in Cornwall in both Cornish and English - even if it is England :)

If TfL keeps bilingual signage I'd be surprised too, I'd be even more surprised if it did happen on roundels instead of normal style signage.
 

greyman42

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I was not aware of a bilingual PA at Marylebone. Is it really necessary?
I don't see any point in Cornish signs as Cornwall is part of England and people who live here should be able to understand English.
The same goes for stations in England with Punjabi signs.
In my opinion, a basic understanding of English should be a requirement to live in this country.
 

NSEFAN

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I was not aware of a bilingual PA at Marylebone. Is it really necessary?
I don't see any point in Cornish signs as Cornwall is part of England and people who live here should be able to understand English.
The same goes for stations in England with Punjabi signs.
In my opinion, a basic understanding of English should be a requirement to live in this country.
Marylebone station gets lots of Chinese tourists going to Bicester village. The announcement is there to help them. There's also announcements in Arabic for the same reason.
 

greyman42

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Marylebone station gets lots of Chinese tourists going to Bicester village. The announcement is there to help them. There's also announcements in Arabic for the same reason.
Thanks. I did not know that. I actually think that is a good idea.
 

Y Ddraig Coch

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This thread makes me laugh so much, I bet the same people thinking signs should only be in English as it's England would be the same ones that complain abroad they don't know where they are as all the signs are in Arabic (insert any other language you fancy) and they don't do a full fried with normal bacon!! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Truly unbelievable.
 

NSE

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That’s not an attitude I agree with. What about people who come here on holiday? Sure, they’re unlikely to visit Southall as a tourist hotspot, but I could totally see the point in having some Madarin or Arabic or European Languages at Oxford Circus or Bond Street or something.
It’s weird, I’m totally behind signs with other languages, the English ones are a god send on my travels, but with London so multicultural I could make a case for so many different ones, I wonder what would be the best choices to put up on the tube.

That said, I hope the Punjabi stays, but I hope it makes it into New Johnstone if possible. I think that would look brilliant.
 

InOban

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Since I believe more people in Scotland speak Polish than Gaelic......


Don't airports have multilingual signs?
 

johnnychips

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Since I believe more people in Scotland speak Polish than Gaelic......


Don't airports have multilingual signs?

Doncaster has some notices and signs in Polish in security and immigration. But with an airport like Manchester, which languages would you choose?

As someone else said, having signs in English in China and Japan is a godsend for non-native speakers.
 

TwistedMentat

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Since I believe more people in Scotland speak Polish than Gaelic......


Don't airports have multilingual signs?

They can. But what international airport signage is based on is symbols. No need to translate a picture into every language in every airport. Just learn the meaning once in your first language.
 

robk23oxf

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Marylebone station gets lots of Chinese tourists going to Bicester village. The announcement is there to help them. There's also announcements in Arabic for the same reason.

The announcements on the train when arriving at Bicester Village are in English, Arabic and Chinese but for the other stations on the line I've only ever heard English. Interestingly Chiltern Railways are also recruiting station staff at Oxford Parkway/Bicester and one of the skill preferences is fluency in Arabic or Mandarin. Tourists who speak these languages flock to Bicester Village and Oxford in their thousands so it makes perfect sense to have multilingual signs/announcements/staff.
 

WelshBluebird

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If I remember rightly, trains and the metro around the Barcelona area have announcements in English, presumably for tourists and visitors. I really don't see the problem in trying to help at least some people out in a situation where they may need the extra help!
 

deltic08

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This thread makes me laugh so much, I bet the same people thinking signs should only be in English as it's England would be the same ones that complain abroad they don't know where they are as all the signs are in Arabic (insert any other language you fancy) and they don't do a full fried with normal bacon!! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: Truly unbelievable.
The majority of residents in Wales can't speak Welsh particularly in the South. They speak English. How much does it cost them to have bi-lingual signs unnecessarily. I'm glad I left Wales in the mid 1960s before all this nonsense of making English speaking children learn Welsh in school when they don't want to. Where else in the world is being able to speak Welsh beneficial ?
 

hwl

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The majority of residents in Wales can't speak Welsh particularly in the South. They speak English. How much does it cost them to have bi-lingual signs unnecessarily. I'm glad I left Wales in the mid 1960s before all this nonsense of making English speaking children learn Welsh in school when they don't want to. Where else in the world is being able to speak Welsh beneficial ?
Patagonia
 

Y Ddraig Coch

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The majority of residents in Wales can't speak Welsh particularly in the South. They speak English. How much does it cost them to have bi-lingual signs unnecessarily. I'm glad I left Wales in the mid 1960s before all this nonsense of making English speaking children learn Welsh in school when they don't want to. Where else in the world is being able to speak Welsh beneficial ?

What has Welsh to do with this thread? Why bring it up, you clearly have an axe to grind.... I'm glad you left Wales too!
 
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