c2c blocks mobiles in quiet zone (From Echo)

c2c blocks mobiles in quiet zone

5:42pm Tuesday 28th October 2008 in Search By Max Orbach

COMMUTERS may soon be able to find a peaceful refuge from mobile phone chatterers, thanks to a modification being tried out on one of the area’s railway lines.

Rail company c2c has coated the windows on one of its carriages with a solar reflective film, designed to block mobile, radio and wi-fi signals.

The film, developed by American scientists, could be fitted to special “quiet zone” carriages on all the firm’s trains, if the trial is successful.

Ellen Rossiter, spokesman for c2c, said: “The idea is customer-led. We had positive feedback from customers and users’ groups when we introduced a quiet zone on trains, but they asked us to introduce measures to police it.”

She added: “We already use an anti-vandal film on windows and the manufacturers recommended this product as a solution to policing quiet carriages.

“If the trial of the film is successful then we will look to install it in one carriage of each of our trains, so customers on each c2c service can benefit from a quiet zone.”

Ashwin Kumar, director of rail users’ group Passenger Focus, said he felt the move would be warmly received by most rail passengers.

He added: “The majority of passengers who wish for a peaceful journey in these carriages will welcome the c2c initiative.”

Passenger Alan Marchant, 43, of Westcliff, backed the scheme.

He said: “I like these quiet areas and I think this is a good step forward.

“People do, albeit inadvertently, leave their mobiles on and take calls.”