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Londoners hit out at 'mistimed' bus safety alerts | Londoners hit out at 'mistimed' bus safety alerts |
(1 day later) | |
Bus passengers have criticised Transport for London (TfL) over a "mistimed" announcement designed to stop people falling over on board. | Bus passengers have criticised Transport for London (TfL) over a "mistimed" announcement designed to stop people falling over on board. |
The warning, "Please hold on, the bus is about to move", is supposed to sound just before buses pull away from stops. | The warning, "Please hold on, the bus is about to move", is supposed to sound just before buses pull away from stops. |
But a technical glitch means many warnings sound after the bus has started moving. | But a technical glitch means many warnings sound after the bus has started moving. |
Some passengers have branded the idea "annoying and useless", but TfL said it would make journeys safer. | Some passengers have branded the idea "annoying and useless", but TfL said it would make journeys safer. |
It said about 3,000 people were injured each year by slips, trips and falls on London buses. | It said about 3,000 people were injured each year by slips, trips and falls on London buses. |
TfL said many of these happened "because people have shopping in one hand and phones in the other". | TfL said many of these happened "because people have shopping in one hand and phones in the other". |
But it accepted that the new warnings "have not quite got the timing right yet". | But it accepted that the new warnings "have not quite got the timing right yet". |
"Clearly there are some adjustments we need to make and we're working on that now," TfL's director of bus operations Claire Mann said | |
'Health and safety gone mad' | 'Health and safety gone mad' |
The alert is currently triggered by a computer that sends out the message after the average amount of time a bus would spend at a bus stop. | The alert is currently triggered by a computer that sends out the message after the average amount of time a bus would spend at a bus stop. |
So for passengers on buses that spend less time at a stop, the alert does not sound until the bus is moving. | So for passengers on buses that spend less time at a stop, the alert does not sound until the bus is moving. |
TfL said that if customers did not like the alert scheme, it can be withdrawn, but that the aim is to "make safety even better". | TfL said that if customers did not like the alert scheme, it can be withdrawn, but that the aim is to "make safety even better". |
Many customers have taken to social media to vent their frustration at the mistimed messages. | Many customers have taken to social media to vent their frustration at the mistimed messages. |
Nathan Wade, from East Finchley, north London, posted a tongue-in-cheek video on Twitter to highlight the error. | Nathan Wade, from East Finchley, north London, posted a tongue-in-cheek video on Twitter to highlight the error. |
The children's residential worker, 30, said: "I do have sympathy for people that have been injured on the bus. | The children's residential worker, 30, said: "I do have sympathy for people that have been injured on the bus. |
"I have seen it before where older people have nearly fallen over because the bus has pulled away too quickly. | "I have seen it before where older people have nearly fallen over because the bus has pulled away too quickly. |
"However, I don't think telling passengers to 'Please hold on, the bus is about to move' is going to help with that, even if the timing issue could be resolved." | "However, I don't think telling passengers to 'Please hold on, the bus is about to move' is going to help with that, even if the timing issue could be resolved." |
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