A NEW ‘CLOSE’ CALL

Change for subways

The subway system’s famous announcement, “Stand clear of the closing doors, please,” could be approaching the end of the line — and the man who voiced the words told The Post it’s been a great ride.

The MTA is starting to replace its familiar warning to straphangers with the tighter phrase “Please stand clear” on the 2 train to see if brevity will speed rail traffic, officials said.

The new words may soon spread to other lines.

But while many New Yorkers will miss hearing “Stand clear of the closing doors, please” in the instant before the doors shut and the train moves on, the man who speaks those words is philosophical about the change.

“What an incredible run I’ve had in New York City,” said Bloomberg Radio reporter Charlie Pellett, who recorded the announcement in 2001. “Broadway shows don’t last that long.”

He said that although the announcement is one of the most famous catchphrases in New York City, he wasn’t paid for the recording.

“If I made a penny for every announcement, I could retire,” Pellett joked.

The fourword difference between “Stand clear of the closing doors, please” and the new “Please stand clear” announcement saves about one second.

When combined with other announcements that also will be edited down, trains could get moving about three to four seconds faster.

Transit sources were concerned, however, the shorter message could lead to more riders holding doors, which cause a lot of delays. And some were displeased to see the old announcement go.

Transit enthusiast Max Diamond said it’s a shame to get rid of the old announcement.

“Charlie Pellett has been the voice of the New York City subway for over a decade and does a great job,” Diamond said. “His ‘stand clear of the closing doors’ announcement is well known all over the world.”

Other riders said they appreciated the warning about the doors.

“This morning, I was getting on at Church Avenue and this little boy was running up and down, in and out [of the train],” said Melissa Gee, 30, of Flatbush.

“He was just messing around, but the announcement was a warning to him.”