Footing The Bill: Merseyrail Campaigns For Quality Footwear
“I HAVE never been in trouble before and, working with children, I do not want a criminal record.”
Kathleen Jennings is in the Mail. We would say that a criminal record is a badge or honour, or woggle, for the 19-year-old student who is also a Cub Scout leader. It will facilitate empathy and bonding.
But what the crime? It is said, yer honour, that Miss Jennings did place her feet on the seat of a Merseyrail train. She is charged with “wilfully interfering with the comfort or convenience “ of her fellow passengers.
She faces a fine, prosecution costs and solicitor’s fees. “I put my feet on the seat in front of me – just the edge of my flipflops,” says the accused by way of defence.
Yes, flipflops. And note that this was no seaside train trip but a journey to landlocked Chester from less-than-sandy Oldham.
Says Jennings: “A man in uniform came up to me and said, ‘Are you comfortable?’”
Miss Jennings may have cared to replay, “Yes, thank you. Mother has shares in Tesco’s and father supplements his income by auctioning off his homemade pornographic videos.”
Instead she offered: “I said sorry and move my feet back to the floor. Then he said he wanted to see me when I got off the train.”
When she emerged, the officer took down her details, noting her name, address, profession and her attire (yes, the flipflops).
The evidence will be shown to Chester magistrates alongside video footage obtained via the officer’s CCTV headcam.
And Miss Jennings will become one of the 250-or-so passengers taken to court since Merseyrail launched its anti-feet-on-seats campaign.
We would like to know how many of these wrongdoers were, like Miss Jennings, shod in flipflops and not sporting shoes in black leather with laces passed evenly through eight holes, or ten holes for those passengers who wish to make a statement and move with fashion.
And then we can work out if hanging is too good for them…
Posted: 4th, September 2007 | In: Tabloids Comments (12) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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October 7th, 2009 at 5:32 am
So let’s imagine someone’s got shogdite on their shoes. And then they put their feet on the seats…. Yuck, not nice is it? I do wonder though what powers they have to take your name and details. Maybe someone can tell me?
Do all the signs in the windows still read “Fleas in your head” on MR? Used to make me chuckle.
October 6th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Merseyrail are a disgrace to Merseyside. They should uplift the pathetic feet on seat law if they are really struggling for the cash they can stop trying to get the extra cash out of us and find something more convenient. Recently my friend was cautioned for such a pathetic action, why and who has implemented this law within Merseyrail, what are the actions and thoughts behind such a law. If it’s for customer comfort it successfully fails to adhere as many or maybe all customers are angry with the new law. I think if many people can write a letter addressed to Merseyrail which explaining are deep anger and disgrace of their services and see if we can get them to uplift the idiotic ban.
April 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Let’s be realistically honest here. Taking people to court for putting their feet on a seat is totally unjustifiable. Even more so when Mersey rail seek a criminal conviction and fines clearly outweighing the cost of the so-called damage done. It seems to me that this crack down on this form of “anti social behaviour” is strictly financially motivated. There are many other problems Mersey rail need to address, yet go ignored, as they don’t seem “financially profitable”.
Mersey rail lead to you believe that its for the benefit of other customers… answer me this, do you feel more threatened and uncomfortable by a passenger with their feet on a seat, or an individual intoxicated with alcohol likely to be drinking more whilst riding the train. Exactly, there are no signs on the trains saying drinking alcohol is wrong, yet resulting effects of alcohol, can lead to more sever consequences than putting your feet on a seat. For example; shouting, swearing, and even fighting which are all things I witness regularly on Mersey rail trains and consider to being more sever and threatening to other customers than putting feet on seats. However, I have not seen a crack down on this, or signs erected stating its wrong to engage in this type of behaviour. No because realistically there is no financial reward in catching people doing this.
Do you agree? Mersey rails motives for this crack down is financial, or do they really care about improving the service for other customers?
December 29th, 2007 at 1:33 am
on the grounds of health and safety, i have to agree to lawman. As a very regualar user of merseyrails services i have noticed the odd person putting their feet on the seat, and then claiming they have not heard or been told about the new bye-law when they have been cought , to of which is clearly signposted through-out the merseyrail network and on their trains as-well as being mentioned on the P.A. system, i have allways found this a filthy habbit and never understood why people do it in the first place, Merseyrail are only trying to give a quality and comfartble service by bringing out bye-law that passenger agree with, they are not trying to put their name down on a list to be hated. Merseyrail think of only a few things
1. qualtiy service
2.reliable service
3.a clean and friendly service
i know some people will disagree when i mention a reliable service, with the problems they have ran into this year, but take a minute think about it, london transport is on strike almost everyweek. And from performance figures this year Merseyrail came top with 95.5% punctuality, so i hope fellow reader understand and take into account of what i have written.
and i thank you all
September 7th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
I believe they do have rules, and properly-publicized ones. The girl shouldn’t have done it, whether it was unthinking or not. She ought to have had more sense, and common decency. Other people have to sit on the seat she had her feet on.
What I take issue with is the decision to come down heavily on her. Had she been four (or possibly even one) foul-mouthed, lager-swilling lout doing the same, I would suggest there is every likelihood that the train official in question would have told anyone complaining to move seats and simply ignored the issue on personal safety grounds.
Therein lies the gross injustice.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:53 am
do merseyrail have legal grounds to prosecute for a ‘crime’ of this nature?
it seems to me this is a ridiculous rule, i don’t see how its legal to fine people for this
September 6th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
I’d fully agree with you, Mr Bryan. It’s a pet hate of mine, too. It shows a poor upbringing and total disregard for other people.
What I take issue with is coming down so heavily on someone who immediately removed their feet when told AND apologised.
The usual reaction would have been foul language and possibly the offering of physical violence.
I therefore regarded this reaction as jobsworth overkill.
September 5th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Dear Sir,
It’s been a bone of contention with me for a long about this issue, I have confronted many a person who do not show respect for other peoples right to sit on a clean seat. They all look at you as if you have no right to talk to them.
I hope Merseyrail continue to take a hard line with lazy, slothful people.
A Merseyrail Passenger,
John Bryan
September 5th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
What really surprises me about this is that she was on a Merseyfail train - and still had her flip-flops! Not a single upstanding scally scouser had nicked them or any other of her possessions! What is the world coming to?
September 5th, 2007 at 8:35 am
[...] moulded plastic shoes. Britain is the thrall of a summer shoe shocker. Only yesterday we read how Kathleen Jennings had been brought before the Beak for placing her flipflops on the seat of a train. (Criminally, she [...]
September 4th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Feet on seats is the top of a slippery slope
September 4th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
And, indeed, exactly how many similar malefactors built like brick outhouses and sporting “mum” and “death” tatoos said jobsworth felt it more “appropriate” to ignore - let alone challenge. It’s always safer to kick the metaphorical, politically-correct shit out of a polite 19-year-old girl student than a real scumbag, isn’t it?