Musical subway and footbridge.

[30907]

No, not buskers, but classical music (Mozart/Haydn?) coming over the PA in the subway and on the covered footbridge at Shipley.

Not noticed this before, but it's ages since I used either facility.

Is this a Northern thing, and is there a reason other than making my wait between trains more pleasant?

 

[Gloster]

There is a theory that playing classical music deters ‘yoof’ from loitering. It strikes me that there are number of holes in the theory, but try anything once.

 

[SargeNpton]

Opera station on the Paris Metro has classical music piped to the platforms.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Wakefield Kirkgate with ‘Jerusalem’, later ‘Ilkley Moor’ IIRC, is the case mentioned most often.

 

[philjo]

Euston Square Underground station usually has Mozart playing in the PA in the station entrance.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There is a theory that playing classical music deters ‘yoof’ from loitering. It strikes me that there are number of holes in the theory, but try anything once.

Supposedly this is why it's played (at an uncomfortably high volume) at Huddersfield and Dewsbury bus stations. However it just makes me think of A Clockwork Orange.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Bristol TM has a variety of music in its subway. IIRC didn’t Waterloo play marching music during commuter times to speed passengers up?

 

[Gloster]

Nigel G. Harris (the other one) proposed to Danish State Railways twenty-something years ago that march music should be played in the stations in central Copenhagen. He completely misjudged the character of the Danes, but it did provide some amusement.

 

[fandroid]

Not uncommon on TfL stations in London. Two I know of are Euston Square on the Underground and Walthamstow Central bus station.

 

[TheSeeker]

The Brussels Metro plays music. They seem to go through different phases. At one time Brit Pop, quite odd to hear Oasis, Blur, Elastica etc. Today it was a mix of rap and chart, which sort of negates the anti loitering effect (if that is the goal).

 

[vic-rijrode]

Rap would certainly stop me from loitering...

 

[Jimini]

I'm going back a bit, but I seem to recall this was first trialled at West Croydon bus station back in 2002 or so? It's been rolled out to all sorts of places / stations since. My old local station (Tooting Bec) springs to mind, these days.

 

[Dave S 56F]

Keighley station when ive been on my way back from the K.V.W.R I've noticed plays classical music as well wether this is done on the other stations along the aire Valley I'm not sure I think it's also done at skipton.

 

[ScottGallagher]

The Brussels Metro plays music. They seem to go through different phases. At one time Brit Pop, quite odd to hear Oasis, Blur, Elastica etc. Today it was a mix of rap and chart, which sort of negates the anti loitering effect (if that is the goal).

Assuming Belgium has a music licence setup similar to the uk does with PPL and PRS that must cost a bit !

Another reason to use classical is most of it is out of copyright.

 

[Tio Terry]

Bristol TM has a variety of music in its subway. IIRC didn’t Waterloo play marching music during commuter times to speed passengers up?

Yes, Waterloo had military style marching music in the morning to encourage people off the station, and soothing Handel's Water Music type of thing for the evening peak when trains were likely late!

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Noticed a piano on the NR/SE/EL concourse at Abbey Wood this week.
Nobody playing though, unlike the similar facility at Chambery (SNCF) where we were treated to a Chopin polonaise while waiting for a train.

 

[30907]

Noticed a piano on the NR/SE/EL concourse at Abbey Wood this week.
Nobody playing though, unlike the similar facility at Chambery (SNCF) where we were treated to a Chopin polonaise while waiting for a train.

...though the one at London Bridge went viral when a well-known organist stopped to play...

 

[MadMac]

Yes, Waterloo had military style marching music in the morning to encourage people off the station, and soothing Handel's Water Music type of thing for the evening peak when trains were likely late!

Glasgow Central did the same.

 

[fairysdad]

Assuming Belgium has a music licence setup similar to the uk does with PPL and PRS that must cost a bit !

Another reason to use classical is most of it is out of copyright.

Not necessarily out of copyright. The composition itself might well be, but the recordings most likely will still be in copyright and chances are the PPL and PRS licences will still have to be paid.

 

[Parallel]

Keighley station when ive been on my way back from the K.V.W.R I've noticed plays classical music as well wether this is done on the other stations along the aire Valley I'm not sure I think it's also done at skipton.

I’ve also heard it at Ilkley.

There was a video online of music being played out of the speakers at Liverpool South Parkway, but it may have been a different piece as to to what was played out of some of those Northern stations in the Leeds/Bradford area.

 

[Neptune]

I’ve also heard it at Ilkley.

Ilkley has pretty horrendous ongoing ASB problems so it probably isn’t working. They’ll just tune it out.

I heard it at Shipley the other day and it was only audible on the p3 end of the footbridge (was going from p4 to the car park). Not where people hang out I’m guessing.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Whatever music is played some people may not like and might leave the area ASAP, even avoid using that station or avoid the railway altogether.

Loud music dominating the place could be particularly unpleasant.

 

[Neptune]

Whatever music is played some people may not like and might leave the area ASAP, even avoid using that station or avoid the railway altogether.

Loud music dominating the place could be particularly unpleasant.

The ones I’ve heard aren’t loud music. They are softly played and easy to tune out. Why play loud music when all that happens is you end up with complaints from nearby residents?

 

[DoubleLemon]

Is it not the frequency of the sounds. If its addeded to the music. In a range that older people cannot hear yet causes discomfort to younger people?

 

[Bletchleyite]

There is a theory that playing classical music deters ‘yoof’ from loitering. It strikes me that there are number of holes in the theory, but try anything once.

It must work as I have seen it in loads of places. The most notable one I recall is Hamburg Hbf-Nord U-Bahn, which made it feel Soviet when combined with the design of the station.

Is it not the frequency of the sounds. If its addeded to the music. In a range that older people cannot hear yet causes discomfort to younger people?

No, it's not. I can hear the "mosquito" sound at 43 (just), it is like a cat scarer. It is more that "da yoof" would go "we're not sitting around listening to that tripe, let's go somewhere else". And it does seem to work!