TRAINS have been delayed by more than 30 hours over the past six months – by customers yanking their chain.
South Western Railway says that customers who incorrectly use alarms for non-emergency situations resulted in 1,825 minutes of delays, and nine service cancellations.
Between December and May, there were 176 incidents, and each one causes the train to halt while a guard walks through the carriages to carry out a safety check.
One of the incidents was a passenger who forgot their luggage, another had dropped their phone out of a window.
Another chain pull SWR highlighted was a customer feeling anxious.
SWR said alarms should be reserved for emergencies, such as a fire on the train. The penalty for deliberate misuse is £1,000.
In non-emergency circumstances, customers are urged to use alternative ways to receive assistance, such as approaching staff members, seeking assistance at the next station, or using a help point button located in carriages.
British Transport Police can be contacted by calling 61016, and SWR is on Twitter at @SW_Help
Christian Neill, Customer Experience Director for South Western Railway, said: “Customer alarms should only be used in emergencies. Improper activations cause significant disruption to services, negatively impacting staff, and other customers.
“SWR has robust measures in place to support customers who are feeling unwell or to tackle disorder. Customers in need of assistance should speak to a member of staff or contact the British Transport Police by texting 61016.”
