The phrase “this train terminates here” is also being retired,due to concerns the word “terminates” is difficult to understand.
Station and onboard announcements on Sydney Trains are gradually being updated.Edwina Pickles
The changes are being rolled out after Sydney Trains interviewed more than 1200 public transport patrons from a range of demographics as part of its Customer Language Program.
The research revealed words such as “terminates” and “alight” were deemed operational jargon and not easy to understand by the test group.
Instead,those travelling on train services will soon be asked to “leave” or “get off” at a particular station,or be told a service “ends here”.
If an incident has caused delays,or their journey may take longer than expected for some other reason,patrons will soon be directed to allow “extra” and not “additional” time.
“Sydney Trains is working to improve the information we provide to passengers to reduce the use of technical language and make it easier to understand,” a spokesperson said.
“We have been undertaking passenger research into the most effective ways to communicate to people about their journeys.”
The spokesperson said the new phrases – chosen because they feature “simpler,more colloquial” language – were being gradually rolled out in station and on-board announcements.
“We will continue to review the language we use in announcements and make improvements based on passenger feedback,” they said.
Sydney Trains’ prerecorded announcements are voiced by Taylor Owynns,a Melbourne-based voice actor who also voiced the role of bear Lulu in the ABC Kids showBananas in Pyjamas. In the past six months,Owynns’ voice has been added to Sydney Metro services.
Additional announcements on the Sydney Trains network are made by station and train staff.
It has been a week of semantic change at Transport for NSW,after the state government agency,which will be extended south from Chatswood to Sydenham within months.
Known as Sydney Metro City and Southwest during the extension’s construction,once combined the new line from Tallawong,in the city’s north-west,to Sydenham will be known as the “M1”,a name that attracted criticism fromSydney Morning Herald readers and website commenters due to the possibility of confusion with the M1 motorway.
