Commuters making a mad last minute dash for their train are being rapped on the knuckles for running on the platforms due to health and safety.
First Capital Connect staff at Bedford Train Station in Ashburnham Road are telling passengers not to run to or from the trains as it contravenes ‘platform safety’ and in recent weeks have also been patrolling up and down the bridges watching out for Mo Farah wannabes.
Alex Fisk, 22, from Bedford, who commutes to London, said: “I recently saw one guy running out of the station with staff yelling at him to stop and have been told off myself before.
“When he and another person didn’t stop running I heard one member of staff say into a walkie-talkie ‘Watch them, there’s two of them running up the platform’.
“I’d have no problem with them telling people off for running in the middle of winter when the platform is wet or slippery, but on a completely dry day it just seems ridiculous. What next, sniffer dogs at the ticket gate?” An FCC spokesman said: “We have a number of safety announcements, some of which are pre-recorded, which may include requests for passengers to take care when on the platforms and using the stairs.
“If people are rushing around there is a potential trip and slip hazard so we discourage passengers from running at all as it is not a safe thing to do. If you leave enough time to catch your train, then there is no need to run.”
