'Quieter coaches' on Cork-Dublin trains lead to confrontation
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An Irish Rail initiative providing ‘quieter coaches’ on the Cork-Dublin line led to confrontation with passengers involved in loud talking, banter, or using their mobile phones.
The quieter coaches were introduced on services between the two cities late last year, with the carriages specifically marked as low-noise environments and especially suitable for passengers with certain, sometimes hidden disabilities.
However, problems quickly arose with some passengers believing that 'quieter' coaches meant there should be total silence on board.
An internal email said: “Customers believe there should be no noise level whatsoever in the coach. One host was challenged by a customer for doing his ticket check and asking customers for their tickets in the coach.”
Busier trains were also causing difficulties where the quieter carriages would fill up with passengers unaware of the difference between coaches.
This too caused “confrontational reaction” when Irish Rail staff asked them to keep their voices down or to end phone calls.
Match days and concert days were also proving problematic with people entering the carriage and not “adhering to the ‘rules’ of the coach”.
An internal email said the 'rules' of the quieter coach needed to be posted at the end of each carriage so that staff could direct passengers to them if they had questions.
It said the use of mobile phones remained a big issue where people might make a quick call to advise a family member of their arrival at the station, especially where they had a disability.
“Non-impaired customers are then taking issue that they were asked to stop talking on the phone but the impaired customer was not,” said an email.
Complaints were also made about cases where children with a disability were creating noise, by “rocking or shouting”.
In some cases, passengers felt this was not acceptable for what was supposed to be a quieter coach.
The email said: “However we all agreed that people will just have to be accepting of the situation in that instance.
“[Staff] made the point though that because the quieter coach is creating the expectation now, the hosts are facing increased pressures from this scenario.”
In discussions with staff, it was agreed that “Irish culture can be slow sometimes to conform” to anything that is new or different.
An email said: “In particular, times when trains are full or busy, some customers can be more centred on their own needs (a seat and to use their phone) than on the needs of others. So all agreed to stay with it and give it every chance to ‘bed in’.”
A briefing document for staff said quieter coaches had been successfully introduced in both London and New South Wales in Australia.
However, on how the rules could be enforced, Irish Rail said there would be no penalty system for those not staying quiet.
The briefing said: “Customers not adhering to the guidelines should be reminded that the quieter coach was introduced to improve the experience for customers with hidden disabilities who travel on our services.
“Customers using mobile phones in the quieter coach should be advised to go to the vestibule.”
If poor behaviour continued and the person continuously disregarded advice after being asked to desist and refrain from making noise, it could if necessary be escalated to an anti-social behaviour incident, it said.