You wait ages for a London bus announcement and then 50 come along at once, according to passengers who have criticised Transport for London over a new and “unbearable” announcement intended to stop people falling over.
The warning, “Please hold on, the bus is about to move”, is supposed to be played moments before the vehicle pulls away from a bus stop, but a technical glitch has meant the warning sounds after the bus has already started moving – much to the frustration of commuters in the capital.
“I have just searched Twitter for the words ‘please hold on the bus is about to move’,” one social media user wrote. “I estimate bloody revolution within eight days.”
TfL accepted it had “not quite got the timing right yet” for the warnings, but maintained that the announcement would make journeys safer for passengers.
It said about 3,000 people were injured each year by falls on London buses. Many were “because people have shopping in one hand and phones in the other”, TfL old the BBC.
"Please hold on, the bus is about to move". As the bus is already moving. Every. Time. What were you thinking, @TfL ??
— Geoff Marshall (@geofftech) January 13, 2018
TfL’s new ‘please hold on, the bus is about to move’ after it’s already started to move is the most soul-destroying thing ever. Someone make it stop please.
— Hatti Linnell (@HattiLinnell) January 15, 2018
when I close my eyes to sleep at night, all I'm gonna hear is "please hold on, the bus is about to move"
— Izi (@iziieva) January 12, 2018
Please hold on the bus is about to move Please hold on the bus is about to move Please hold on the bus is about to move Please hold on the bus is about to move Please hold on the bus is about to move Please hold on the bus is about to move PLEASE HOLD ON THE BUS IS ABOUT TO MOVE
— Nathan Wade (@natewade87) January 13, 2018
This trial has to end. These announcements are making bus journeys unbearable. It's like water torture
— Barry Craig (@BarryCraig) January 13, 2018
@tfl thanks for reminding me to please hold on the bus is about to move when then bus is already moving after every single bus stop. pic.twitter.com/dNbek765Wa
— Nathan Wade (@natewade87) January 13, 2018
On Twitter, it added that the announcement was a trial and all comments would be taken on board. TfL’s director of bus operations, Claire Mann, said: “Passenger safety is our top priority so we’ve been trialling this announcement to assess if it helps reduce the number of people hurt in slips and falls.
“Clearly there are some adjustments we need to make and we’re working on that now. We will carefully monitor the trial to see how effective it is in reducing injuries.”
PA announcements on the transport network usually stand in good stead with Londoners. The “mind the gap” announcement on the tube has become a cultural touchstone, and many mourned the recent death of the voiceover artist behind it.
Last summer, TfL was praised for making its public service announcements gender-neutral, after transport workers were told to stop using the term “ladies and gentlemen” in tannoy announcements, instead using phrases such as “good morning everyone”.
