Ban on alcohol on Scotrail between 9PM and 10AM

[ole man]

A while ago whllst working in the tunnels at Birmingham New Street they had a complete smoking ban for all workers inside tunnel, which made us all laugh they said it was because BNS was classed as underground.
Shame they didnt see welders cutting track, tampers churning out fumes and endless rrv's and mewps.
There are worse pollutants than smoke in a railway enviroment, just look at a 37 or 20 starting up at a station!!

 

[Butts]

A while ago whllst working in the tunnels at Birmingham New Street they had a complete smoking ban for all workers inside tunnel, which made us all laugh they said it was because BNS was classed as underground.
Shame they didnt see welders cutting track, tampers churning out fumes and endless rrv's and mewps.
There are worse pollutants than smoke in a railway enviroment, just look at a 37 or 20 starting up at a station!!

Well said - can we have a definitive view why this ludicrous ban in open areas came about (open platforms) - my view is to save money on cleaning.

A lot of rail workers used to "tab up" on the platform between duties - did the Unions not have any input. After all drivers were allowed to carry on smoking in cabs after the passenger bans came in before the 2006/7 legislation.

Finally why is Scotland excluded as "open platform" bans are Railway Bye Laws-not the Law !!!!

 

[bAzTNM]

Can Scotrail guards search bags? I normally carry a cycling water-bottle in a plastic bag whilst I'm out in the Summer. Guard looked at the bag on the table, didn't look in it, and asked me what was inside it? Surely he couldn't have just opened the bag and had a look? Seems unbelievable to me if they can.

 

[ainsworth74]

Can Scotrail guards search bags?

Most certainly not! Even the police don't have carte blanche to look into random peoples bags.

 

[broadgage]

One problem that I can forsee is railway staff, and especially PCSOs, "over interperating" the rules.
The drinking of alcohol, and the carrying of open containers of alcohol is prohibited on London bus and underground services.
The carrying of sealed containers of drink is meant to be allowed.
Yet I have been refused addmission to a bus for "carrying alcohol", a sealed bottle of brandy in a supermarket carrier bag.
Others report similar experiences.
I have also been threatened with arrest for modest drinking on a FCC service between London Blackfriars and Kings cross. This is a national rail service on which alcohol may lawfully be consumed. The PCSOs stated that "we take safety very seriously and because the train is below the surface, we follow the same rules as London Underground"
What rubbish.
I got the feeling that they were trying to provoke me into being insulting, for which they could arrest me. I was not drunk.

 

[Anon Mouse]

Off topic post, my apologies

 

[island]

One problem that I can forsee is railway staff, and especially PCSOs, "over interperating" the rules.
The drinking of alcohol, and the carrying of open containers of alcohol is prohibited on London bus and underground services.
The carrying of sealed containers of drink is meant to be allowed.
Yet I have been refused addmission to a bus for "carrying alcohol", a sealed bottle of brandy in a supermarket carrier bag.
Others report similar experiences.
I have also been threatened with arrest for modest drinking on a FCC service between London Blackfriars and Kings cross. This is a national rail service on which alcohol may lawfully be consumed. The PCSOs stated that "we take safety very seriously and because the train is below the surface, we follow the same rules as London Underground"
What rubbish.
I got the feeling that they were trying to provoke me into being insulting, for which they could arrest me. I was not drunk.

PCSO couldn't arrest you anyway; they have little more policing power than you or I but because they go around in very similar uniforms many get delusions of grandeur.

 

[michael769]

There are no PCSOs in Scotland. In Scotland Police Constables have unlimited powers of search needing only to form an opinion that doing so may prevent a crime or assist in an investigation.

Scotrail have specifically said that staff will not be searching bags for alcohol. Anyone asked by staff for a look in their bags (or even about their contents, unless the staff member was simply making small talk) should take the staff members name and complain to Scotrail.