Commuter anger as trains vanish from London King's Cross departure boards early

Network Rail has sparked a backlash from commuters aft removing trains from departure boards astatine 1 of London’s busiest stations 3 minutes earlier they depart.

A proceedings has been launched astatine King’s Cross successful a bid to easiness the last-minute unreserved of passengers moving to scope their trains.

Posters informing passengers of the caller strategy person appeared astatine the station.

Tannoy announcements person besides been changed with operators stopping last calls for trains 4 minutes earlier departure.

The posters pass passengers that “announcements are changing”, adding: “We’re trialling earlier last boarding calls for long-distance trains truthful radical don’t rush.

“Last tannoy announcements volition beryllium 4 minutes earlier departure. Trains won’t amusement connected stations displays wrong 3 minutes of scheduled departure times.

“This is truthful everyone tin committee safely and support trains moving connected time.”

However it has sparked a backlash with commuters venting their vexation astatine the aboriginal removal of trains from the boards.

One presumption idiosyncratic wrote connected X: “This truthful patronising, bully grief. We would similar you missed your bid than that you rushed to drawback it.”

Another wrote: “I erstwhile got told disconnected by presumption unit for “running connected the stairs” erstwhile trying to marque a delayed connection. If I travel connected the stairs that’s my ain business, not theirs.”

A 3rd commuter penned: “Our UK railway stations are truthful poorly managed they often don’t archer passengers which level until astir 4 min earlier scheduled departure. Then they broadcast announcements telling radical not to run.”

Network Rail pointed retired the 3 infinitesimal aboriginal erasures from the boards has been successful spot arsenic a proceedings for immoderate time, with the tannoy alteration the caller change.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Our stations program their announcements to springiness passengers the safest and easiest commencement to their journeys and to marque definite trains tin depart connected time.

“At King’s Cross, we show long-distance trains connected the main departure boards until 3 minutes earlier departure, and this has been mean signifier for immoderate time.

“The proceedings volition conscionable spot the past tannoy announcements being made 4 minutes earlier departure connected long-distance trains to springiness radical plentifulness of clip to get to their trains.

“There is nary alteration being made to existent boarding times, and passengers tin inactive committee their bid up to 20 minutes earlier departure, arsenic is the mean process.”