Train announcements interrupted by pointless announcements

[talldave]

As a passenger, I'm interested in announcements about trains - the next train, cancelled trains, delayed trains, just trains. I'm much less interested in announcements about smoking, yellow lines, slippery surfaces, engineering works, scooters, see it sod it or rugby. I just want to get home.

As a regular at Clapham Junction I'm repeatedly frustrated when an announcement about an incoming train is interrupted with a pointless smoking/scooter/rugby message. The interrupted train announcement is never replayed and you're left high and dry.

If I was building a system to play out announcements, I'd ensure that high priority service announcements couldn't be interrupted by the pointless waffle. Is it too much to expect, this far into the 21st century, that such a fundamental minimum functionality could be achieved at one of the busiest stations in the country?

This week I experienced double stupidity at CLJ. The train announcement I wanted to hear was interrupted by a smoking announcement, which itself was then interrupted by a scooter announcement. Ludicrous. Who's responsible for this stupidity? I presume nobody cares "because we've always done it that way"?

 

[kkong]

This is basic priority function in any professional PA system.

I ssume the various input sources have not been set up with the correct priorities.

 

[Parallel]

This week I experienced double stupidity at CLJ. The train announcement I wanted to hear was interrupted by a smoking announcement, which itself was then interrupted by a scooter announcement. Ludicrous. Who's responsible for this stupidity? I presume nobody cares "because we've always done it that way"?

Certain stations seem to have manually pre-recorded broadcast messages which interrupt the standard station PA. I too have witnessed this at Clapham Junction and Highbury & Islington among others.

In my opinion, the badly recorded generic messages should not be broadcasted over the top of service announcements. It must be staff not using the system appropriately.

When I was last at Highbury & Islington, the service announcements were being cut off by “There is no disruption on London Underground Lines” every 5 minutes.

 

[lookapigeon]

I have never understood why the guards always interrupt the automated pre-recorded waffle on-board a train (such as station calling points etc) to replace it with exactly the same of their own, plus all the other rubbish they have to say about safety posters in the carriage, BTP 61016 etc. Why not let the system do its work as intended and then add to it afterwards if required?

 

[StoneRoad]

What would be the best priority, in your view ?

Mine would be, firstly - platform alterations, departures then arrivals; secondly - scheduled but late departures and arrivals [with an understandable reason] then scheduled trains. Finally (and infrequently) - safety & security reminders, unless there is an alert status needed to warn staff. If an extra staff or public message interrupts train announcements then they need to be repeated.

Also, staff making manual announcements need at least some training !

[edited for clarity & punctuation]

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Clapham Junction is particularly bad for this. At least on the Victoria Circle and District, which has an absolutely maddening barrage of announcements, the generic messages are interrupted by genuine ones.

I notice that the generic announcements are beginning to creep up along the Overground now too.

 

[talldave]

Does responsibility lie with Network Rail or SWR? I'm happy to follow this up if I know where to direct my criticism.

 

[Bigfoot]

Does responsibility lie with Network Rail or SWR? I'm happy to follow this up if I know where to direct my criticism.

Clapham is a network rail station

 

[172007]

I have never understood why the guards always interrupt the automated pre-recorded waffle on-board a train (such as station calling points etc) to replace it with exactly the same of their own, plus all the other rubbish they have to say about safety posters in the carriage, BTP 61016 etc. Why not let the system do its work as intended and then add to it afterwards if required?

Because its a common perception or convention that the personal touch is superior to a pre-recorded announcement.

The problem is when a manual annoucement is done vice an automatic announcement where the scrolling informomation boards in the train fail to convey the message which coukd fall foul of the disability doscrimination act.

 

[Parallel]

Does responsibility lie with Network Rail or SWR? I'm happy to follow this up if I know where to direct my criticism.

It is a Network Rail station but with a lot of SWR staff so might be worth contacting both. Really the broadcast mode should only really be used for urgent messages. The normal station PA can tell people not to smoke, and about 61016 if appropriate, as it already does with telling passengers to buy tickets.

 

[185]

I have never understood why the guards always interrupt the automated pre-recorded waffle on-board a train (such as station calling points etc) to replace it with exactly the same of their own, plus all the other rubbish they have to say about safety posters in the carriage, BTP 61016 etc. Why not let the system do its work as intended and then add to it afterwards if required?

Two companies at least insist on the guard making a security announcement & other items manually - thus it is a management requirement.

In fairness, some guards cut out the longer prerecorded waffle.