Passengers too rowdy for quiet train carriages

Operators seek to cut out quiet carriages, blaming ‘hard to control’ rowdy users and staff shortages

The future of the quiet train carriage is in doubt because train operators say they cannot control rowdy passengers. The rise of mobile phones and devices that play loud music plus a general lack of etiquette mean that quiet zones are virtually unenforceable, operators claim.

IT IS a place of solitude for those seeking respite from rush-hour madness.

But the future of the quiet carriage is in doubt because train operators say they cannot control rowdy passengers.

The rise of mobile phones and devices that play loud music plus a general lack of etiquette mean that quiet zones are virtually unenforceable.

Without the manpower to keep order, operators are looking to cut the number of quiet carriages. South Western Railways is looking to do away with them altogether.

The firm, which serves south-west London and southern counties, claims that while quiet zones are “safe havens” for some, they are “a thorn in the side” for others. In a blog on its website, SWR adds: “Generally some people like them, some don’t, and views vary on whether they add value to the customer experience on our trains. The reality is we are not able to police these areas as well as we would like and rely heavily on signage and you, our customers, to do this.”

The operator has put its decision up to a public vote on its website. The poll closes on Friday.

Christian Neil, South Western’s head of customer experience, said that the company had taken the decision because customers felt the carriages were no longer being policed. “There is a limited amount of action that we can take as a train operator,” he said.

It follows a string of incidents in quiet carriages, from blazing rows to police officers being called to escort unruly customers from trains.

Jamie Laing, a star of the reality show Made in Chelsea and heir to the Mcvitie’s biscuit empire, was frogmarched off a Leeds to London train in 2014 after a series of noisy phone calls, to the chagrin of his fellow passengers. But the decision to scrap quiet zones has been criticised by some travellers, who say it is a “victory for yobs”. Lisa Lavia, from the Noise Abatement Society, said passengers should have “some respite from the cacophony of travel and modern life”.

“Everyone understands that on a busy commuter train when space is at a premium, generally people are sensible,” she said. “To at least have the opportunity to have somewhere quiet, when it’s possible, is very important.”

Her comments were echoed by rail users yesterday, including Paul Robson, who said: “I appreciate your guards can’t actively police them, but they could announce which carriages they are. There’s always someone shouting into their phone and you can gesture to them and point at the sign. It usually works.”

Another, Tom Willis, said quiet carriages were “somewhere nice to sit quietly and kick back with a book”.

He added: “The rules do get bent a bit in rush hour, but outside of those times I think it works.”