Chris White

 Local Liberal Democrat county councillor Chris White has attacked First Capital Connect’s use of public address systems at the City Station.

 ‘I have been approached by residents dismayed at the increasing volume of station announcements.

 ‘Many of the announcements are entirely pointless – like lists of stations in Sussex that no-one from St Albans will ever go to or the fact that “This is a No Smoking Station – Please extinguish cigarettes, pipes and cigars”.’

 He added: ‘Because of the continuous stream of pointless drivel, important announcements like platform changes are often missed. The result is that these are now even louder. Approaching the station the other day I really thought that there was a public order disturbance – but it seems that a train had been cancelled.’

 Chris has written to First Capital Connect: ‘I got a reply that was a study in complacency and indifference. I have now asked the district council to intervene.

 ‘Not only are those on the platform now deafened but local people are constantly disturbed by behaviour that would not be tolerated in any other commercial company.’