Request stops: Stop the train; I want to get ON!

[tsr]

Tramlink don’t “do” request stops any more, and have not done for years. It was dispensed with after it turned out that most trams still ended up stopping at most of the request stops anyway.

Tram drivers would be skipping stops at their own risk, shall we say...

 

[Taunton]

I've always known the driver to give a toot on the horn when they see you. No toot, and wave harder. You can see this on the video when Geoff and Vicki (and all their friends) flag down the train at Shippea Hill.

 

[zuriblue]

SBB use such a feature on some rural lines, with bus style stop buttons on board.

And similarly a button on the platform for each direction which turns on a pair of flashing white lights in a diamond plate on the distant signal. They get cleared by the track circuit. I couldn’t find a picture.

 

[Roy Badami]

Never mind request stops, on the buses I've had more than one incident where the driver has failed to stop at a compulsory stop.

OT I know, but I'm curious as to where compulsory stops still exist on the buses. They haven't existed in London for several years (all bus stops are request stops, regardless of the colour of the bus stop sign) and AFAIK most other parts of the country never had compulsory stops in the first place.

 

[sheff1]

But request stops usually have a limited number of passengers in remote locations.

This is true. As Conwy is not remote and has a decent number of passengers, I have never understood was it is a request stop - I can't remember any occasion when a 'request' train I was on did not stop there to set down and/or pick up passengers.

 

[sheff1]

Surely better for everyone for there to be a mechanism for the customer to positively alert the driver, so they know to stop before they arrive.

I have used exactly this system in Sweden.

 

[6Gman]

This is true. As Conwy is not remote and has a decent number of passengers, I have never understood was it is a request stop - I can't remember any occasion when a 'request' train I was on did not stop there to set down and/or pick up passengers.

I've always fancied flagging the train down at Conwy but there have always been so many people waiting on the platform that it's stopped anyway!

 

[richw]

Ive never used a request stop. Does/can a driver acknowledge a request to stop from a passenger, so that the passenger knows that he/she has been seen?

I used Sandplace last week, my hand out, train driver waved back to acknowledge she had seen me.

 

[Bletchleyite]

OT I know, but I'm curious as to where compulsory stops still exist on the buses. They haven't existed in London for several years (all bus stops are request stops, regardless of the colour of the bus stop sign)

Not quite.

London has (officially) adopted the German practice which is roughly thus:
- If there is someone at the stop, the bus is to stop whether they signal for it or not (unofficially, you can wave a bus past if you *don't* want it, but that only works if you're the only one at the stop).
- For alighting, you must use the bell

Though a lot of people still put their hand out, and a lot of drivers appear not to comply with the above and only stop if someone puts their hand out.

FWIW, when signalling for a bus to stop I keep my hand up until the left indicator goes on. So having an acknowledgement is a good idea.

As for Conwy I really do not understand why it is a request stop. It's not like it's in the middle of nowhere.

 

[rmt4ever]

Never mind request stops, on the buses I've had more than one incident where the driver has failed to stop at a compulsory stop after either myself or some other passenger has got up and stood by the exit door on the approach to said stop. When challenged as to why they didn't stop the usual response is "You should have rung the bell". They don't like it when I've replied that "I don't have to because it's a compulsory stop and you have to stop there".

That’s a bit petty.... just press the bell if you want the bus to stop

 

[whhistle]

When challenged as to why they didn't stop the usual response is "You should have rung the bell". They don't like it when I've replied that "I don't have to because it's a compulsory stop and you have to stop there".

As others have said, are you not pushing the bell because you know you don't have to?
I mean, I'd push the bell anyway as it's such little effort to then potentially have some sort of altercation with the driver.

 

[londonbridge]

Obviously I managed to miss any annoucement or publicity that all London bus stops are now request-as far as I was aware red means request and white means compulsory so when did this change occur and can anyone point me in the direction of an official annoucement or publicity concerning it?

 

[David Andrews]

On the Cumbrian coast line we have 14 intermediate request stops and 10 where all trains stop. In practice most trains stop at most stations but I've never seen a problem with anyone wanting to get on. However we sometimes have difficulties getting off because you need to tell the conductor if you want to leave an a request stop and conductors do not always appear between stations, particularly for passengers only going a station or too. Those who know can knock on the conductor's compartment at the back of the train, but not everyone does know and there are no signs to tell you. No bells to ring either which would be one solution.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't find a TfL pronouncement but this newspaper article seems to refer:

http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/no-more-compulsory-bus-stops

 

[Bletchleyite]

No bells to ring either which would be one solution.

Would be a good solution. FWIW, on Swiss stock the bells are connected to the door buttons, so if you press the door open button when not at a station it lights up and the bell is also pressed automatically. The door then automatically opens at the station.

 

[Bromley boy]

Obviously I managed to miss any annoucement or publicity that all London bus stops are now request-as far as I was aware red means request and white means compulsory so when did this change occur and can anyone point me in the direction of an official annoucement or publicity concerning it?

There was a freedom of information request to TFL a few years ago, on the subject, according to the below website:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/buses_not_stopping_at_compulsory

Following a stakeholder consultation conducted in 2007, we have
implemented a change to bus stopping practices, removing the distinction
between compulsory and request stops. It was found that most people using
bus services in London do not distinguish between a request stop and a
compulsory stop.

 

[plannerman]

Ive never used a request stop. Does/can a driver acknowledge a request to stop from a passenger, so that the passenger knows that he/she has been seen?

I occasionally use Bodorgan, which is very lightly used. In the up direction, the driver can't see until they're at the platform so approach very slowly - a hand signal from me usually elicits a toot of acknowledgment, and I think it's polite to nod thanks to the driver as they pass by as well. I do enjoy seeing Voyagers thundering through, and comparing the attitudes and way of life at either end of their journey

 

[londonbridge]

Thanks for those links. Most interesting.

 

[PeterC]

I may be wrong, but I think that in London all stops are now request, which may cause confusion to long serving passengers. There used to be white 'bus stop' signs which were compulsory and red ones which were request, but this no longer applies and buses are not required to stop unless requested.

I was caught out by that when visiting my parents by public transport some years after moving away from London. No reason to ring the bell as it was a "white" stop and had "always" been a compulsory stop.

A quick Google on the subject produced a Tripadvisor post from earlier this year telling people that buses stop automatically at "white" bus stops.

 

[philthetube]

Never mind request stops, on the buses I've had more than one incident where the driver has failed to stop at a compulsory stop after either myself or some other passenger has got up and stood by the exit door on the approach to said stop. When challenged as to why they didn't stop the usual response is "You should have rung the bell". They don't like it when I've replied that "I don't have to because it's a compulsory stop and you have to stop there".

And was it worth the inconvenience of having to walk back to be proved right.

 

[pemma]

She had to taxi it to Holyhead. Can she claim this back?

As there was another train booked to call at Conwy the same day she can't unfortunately. Train operators only pay for taxis when the only alternative is to put you in a hotel until the next morning.

If she held a single ticket then she can claim she chose not to travel after the train was cancelled (not stopping is effectively a cancellation) and apply for a refund. Although, it might not be a straight forward process as the station call wasn't supposed to be skipped.

For a two hour delay to your journey you can claim compensation https://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/claim/ but technically she didn't arrive 2 hours late as she chose not to travel so I'm not sure what the proper process would be there.

 

[GatwickDepress]

As there was another train booked to call at Conwy the same day she can't unfortunately. Train operators only pay for taxis when the only alternative is to put you in a hotel until the next morning.

If she held a single ticket then she can claim she chose not to travel after the train was cancelled (not stopping is effectively a cancellation) and apply for a refund. Although, it might not be a straight forward process as the station call wasn't supposed to be skipped.

For a two hour delay to your journey you can claim compensation https://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/claim/ but technically she didn't arrive 2 hours late as she chose not to travel so I'm not sure what the proper process would be there.

From the previous page:

She was wearing a flashing Christmas jumper and was very noticeable. ATW have agreed to refund the taxi and rail fare as an apology as she threatened to go to the press!

 

[Bromley boy]

Thanks for those links. Most interesting.

Reading the FOI response from TFL reminded me that I haven’t seen an all red “request” bus stop for years. Now I know why.

 

[sheff1]

Train operators only pay for taxis when the only alternative is to put you in a hotel until the next morning..

I have had a number of taxis paid for by TOCs when the alternative was to wait an unreasonable length of time for the next train the same day.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I have had a number of taxis paid for by TOCs when the alternative was to wait an unreasonable length of time for the next train the same day.

As have I. If there's a cancellation or missed connection on the Conwy Valley, where the wait might be 3-4 hours, it isn't unknown. LM also used to get the taxis/minibuses out in the event of one Marston Vale cancellation (=1hr wait), I guess LNR will do the same.

 

[Essexman]

I've used many request stops. They work fine. The only one I've seen in the UK with a system other than putting your hand out is Greenway Halt on the South Devon Railway where you press a button.

 

[bb21]

Never mind request stops, on the buses I've had more than one incident where the driver has failed to stop at a compulsory stop after either myself or some other passenger has got up and stood by the exit door on the approach to said stop. When challenged as to why they didn't stop the usual response is "You should have rung the bell". They don't like it when I've replied that "I don't have to because it's a compulsory stop and you have to stop there".

How much effort does it take to ring the bell?

 

[bb21]

Here in Devon use of the low tone on the horn is quite common as acknowledgement of a request for the train to stop - not sure if this is widespread or official though!

Fairly widely used across the network from what I have seen, and passengers seem to understand that too.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Obviously I managed to miss any annoucement or publicity that all London bus stops are now request

It changed about ten years ago.

http://diamondgeezer.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/last-requests.html?m=1

 

[GatwickDepress]

It changed about ten years ago.

http://diamondgeezer.blogspot.co.uk/2007/06/last-requests.html?m=1

Just read that article, and the author does come across as a bit of a pillock: "TfL want to simplify the current system because it's a bit confusing for customers (especially tourists and those with an IQ below 70)."