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

LSWR Cavalier · 21 Jan 2022

If it saves one life, it is worth it (no irony).

Instead of the speakers turning on and off frequently, perhaps background Muzak could be played constantly, continuing as background during important announcements? Could that have a soothing, calming effect? (irony)

RailUK Forums

Bletchleyite · 21 Jan 2022

tomwills98 said:
So how do people with sight impairments manage?

Yes, there's a lot of spam on the tannoy, but some of it is vital information for people who are unable to read the info screens.

The destination, calling points and next/current station are all the essentials. Wibble about other things is not needed, nor is LNR guards' tendencies to waffle over the autoannouncer.

steamybrian · 21 Jan 2022

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.

pdeaves · 21 Jan 2022

LNW-GW Joint said:
"...the doors will not be unlocked until the train has come to a complete stand in the station"

The funny thing with that one is that it implies it is possible to 'come to an incomplete stand'.

I've heard particularly annoying ones onboard recently. Auto-announcer states all the stops and whatnot. Human being then comes on, starts with 'as you've just heard...' and then repeats it all. Grrrr!

Lots of people have commented on 'tactile paving' announcements, etc. Is the proposal to deal with station announcements, or is it intended (at this stage at least) as on board only? I see those as having different requirements.

Lewlew · 21 Jan 2022

I was at Bletchley yesterday on the platform waiting for a train. And an announcement played across all platforms "The next bus to arrive at the front of the station is the xxxx from Bedford, this bus terminates here". Who is that announcement for?

A big gripe of mine is guards that repeat what the auto announcer has literally just said without adding anything extra.

Pit_buzzer · 21 Jan 2022

I heard the "this station does not have tactile paving" announcement yesterday but I'm pretty sure the bobbly looking paving running alongside the yellow line was exactly that, so what's the point of that one!

Scanderina · 21 Jan 2022

I actually quite like the "please take care when handling hot drinks" announcement that randomly comes from nowhere midway through the journey (LNER or GC as I recall).

quantinghome · 21 Jan 2022

Surely the Transport Secretary has more pressing things to attend to? Then again perhaps not. All the big decisions on transport are taken by the Treasury.

Bletchleyite · 21 Jan 2022

Lewlew said:
A big gripe of mine is guards that repeat what the auto announcer has literally just said without adding anything extra.

I've always suspected this is because they are trying to show some value and so deprecate the idea of DOO. Unfortunately it's not value, it's negative. If they want to show value, they should always work the train from the passenger cabin, patrol the train and do tickets, as SWR guards do.

43096 · 21 Jan 2022

Bletchleyite said:
I've always suspected this is because they are trying to show some value and so deprecate the idea of DOO. Unfortunately it's not value, it's negative. If they want to show value, they should always work the train from the passenger cabin, patrol the train and do tickets, as SWR guards do.

Not round this part of SWR they don’t. They’re firmly shut away in their cab and ain’t coming out. That’s been going on for years, so not a virus related restriction.

oldman · 21 Jan 2022

quantinghome said:
Surely the Transport Secretary has more pressing things to attend to?

All government ministers have a pressing need to give the media stories which are not about garden parties.

Fishplate84 · 21 Jan 2022

Certainly noticed on the few european rail services I've been on is the total lack of (or very few) announcements. Nothing about catering car closed for stock taking and cashing up or even what station you're arriving at. It's all on screen anyway these days. Bliss.

ExRes · 21 Jan 2022

One thing that makes me laugh is as soon as on train announcements are cut back and someone misses their stop etc then another thread will be along in double quick time to slate the railway for not providing sufficient information

Cdd89 · 21 Jan 2022

The full list of calling points really are not essential information. They can be conveyed on the platform, that way people only hear it once per train.

seagull · 21 Jan 2022

Pit_buzzer said:
I heard the "this station does not have tactile paving" announcement yesterday but I'm pretty sure the bobbly looking paving running alongside the yellow line was exactly that, so what's the point of that one!

You'll probably find that the bobble spacing is 2mm less per bobble than mandated by BS 12345 Section IV para 5.88e, or something.

Bletchleyite · 21 Jan 2022

Cdd89 said:
The full list of calling points really are not essential information. They can be conveyed on the platform, that way people only hear it once per journey.

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.

physics34 · 21 Jan 2022

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.

yorkie · 21 Jan 2022

Can any Covid related discussion take place in the Covid section please.

This includes discussion of announcements related to Covid restrictions/guidance/requests.

Busaholic · 21 Jan 2022

jopsuk said:
looking forward to this being completely not acted upon.
Maybe they'll add announcements apologising for all the announcements

There's a notice board in Penzance which, on occasion, bears the message 'this notice board is out of order.'

irish_rail · 21 Jan 2022

For me it's listing every single stop after each station . On an IET leaving Penzance for Paddington, you get all 15 stops (or however many it is) listed every few minutes whilst the train makes its way through Cornwall. How many people really need to hear this over and over?

mike57 · 21 Jan 2022

mike57 said:
To cater for those with impaired vision a bluetooth or a hearing loop could be provided to read out the message to the travellers personal device. Same applies to platforms, everything else goes on notices or displays away from train information

tomwills98 said:
Yes, there's a lot of spam on the tannoy, but some of it is vital information for people who are unable to read the info screens.

Turn the auguement round, people with impaired hearing have to concentrate harder, which gets wearing after a while, and I just switch off mentally and use noise cancelling headphones. I am 'a bit deaf' and suffer with tinitus so I can hear if I concentrate, but its a lot harder than for someone with good hearing, and it is tiring, imagine doing a really fiddly and difficult task continuously

The exile · 21 Jan 2022

physics34 said:
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.

The “one minute from” should say something like “we are now approaching…” but other than that fully agree. Full lists only before /at anywhere that would be your last chance to change if you’re on the wrong train - or in areas where stopping patterns are totally “random”

yorkie · 21 Jan 2022

Can we get rid of tactile paving announcements please?
See it, Say it, Sorted needs to go.
Anything that isn't directly relevant needs to go.

LSWR Cavalier · 21 Jan 2022

Fishplate84 said:
Certainly noticed on the few european rail services I've been on is the total lack of (or very few) announcements. Nothing about catering car closed for stock taking and cashing up or even what station you're arriving at. It's all on screen anyway these days. Bliss.

The Deutsche Bahn gave an award to a guard who "entertained" travellers by singing

..
The likes of us might understand an accouncement on Cambrian Coast: 'train calls at all stations' but I enjoy the poetry of the long list of Welsh stations.

Ex-controller · 21 Jan 2022

On a suburban/commuter route, all that’s needed is

Now arriving at…. Please take care when leaving the train
This is…. the next station is

When approaching terminus: Now arriving at….. where this service terminates.

No need for ‘thank you for travelling, please collect belongings etc.’ Announce these things and they become background noise anyway.

Even worse when stations are 2 minutes apart as is common in Glasgow. Class 385s on the Cathcart Circle were the worst.

Bletchleyite · 21 Jan 2022

irish_rail said:
For me it's listing every single stop after each station . On an IET leaving Penzance for Paddington, you get all 15 stops (or however many it is) listed every few minutes whilst the train makes its way through Cornwall. How many people really need to hear this over and over?

Because the pattern is not consistent, as I said it is very useful to occasional users as a reassurance, and touristy Cornwall is full of occasional users.

The other option is you go full Takt and don't have inconsistent stopping patterns. That way you would know that an IC in Cornwall calls at these stations, a RE calls at these stations, and a R calls at all stations, and make that clear on posters and the likes. Then you don't need it, all you need to confirm is "This is an InterCity route GW1 service to London Paddington. The next station is Bodmin Parkway." Possibly add one major via point, e.g. "via Plymouth".

Statto · 21 Jan 2022

Even bigger annoyance when the automated announcements on board the train have finished, the guard/TM will then make the same announcements straight after.

Bletchleyite · 21 Jan 2022

Statto said:
Even bigger annoyance when the automated announcements on board the train have finished, the guard/TM will then make the same announcements straight after.

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.

Statto · 21 Jan 2022

Bletchleyite said:
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.

Agreed, the guard/TM should only come in for delays, if the stations the train is calling in at have changed, & not repeat the automated announcement.

Deepgreen · 21 Jan 2022

Mixed news, but the BBC has descended almost to the level of the tabloids with the headline "Trains told to get rid of torrent of Tannoy spam" - the "trains" won't listen as they are just machines; perhaps they meant railways or rail managers. I'm surprised they didn't just say 'Trains told to sort it'! The two bastions of good and clear communication are spiralling down together.

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

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