Transport for London beats Trump to win ‘Bad Grammar Award’

LONDON: The silly season has come and gone, but there is still time for another quirky British award: the winner of this year’s ‘Bad Grammar Award’ has gone to Transport for London (TfL), the body that runs the tube and other travel networks in the capital.

The award, instituted by an academy associated with the Idler magazine to highlight “the incorrect use of English by people and institutions who should know better”, was decided by a panel of judges that included television host Jeremy Paxman.

The shortlist included tweets by Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump and the mission statement of Facebook.

But TfL won the dubious honour for at least five examples of what the organisers called its “shoddy English”.

“‘All the doors in this carriage will not open at the next station:’ That is misleading and wrong,” said Helen Hawkins, one of the judges. “It should simply say ‘Not all the doors in this carriage will open at the next station.’”

Another TfL error: “Spotting a ticket inspector is easy. They look just like you!” Hawkins said: “They’ve got their plurals and singles mixed up. They should have written ‘spotting ticket inspectors is easy.’”

There were more examples. “If you are feeling unwell get off the train and speak to a member of staff who will assist you.”

The organisers said: “So really, don’t bother trying to talk to the ones who won’t, though good luck working out which are which. ”