Station calls time on kissing (UK train station bans goodbye kisses because it holds up trains)

The Manchester Evening News / Various ^ | February 16, 2009 | Dean Kirby

[Stoat]

Station calls time on kissing

Dean Kirby
February 16, 2009

RAIL stations and romantic farewells go hand-in-hand. Tearful clinches as the train prepares to leave - immortalised by Trevord Howard and Celia Johnson in the classic film Brief Encounter - have always pulled at the heart-strings.

But not at Warrington Bank Quay Station, it seems.

A No Kissing sign has been put up at after concern that commuters were being delayed by passionate embraces.

It is now prohibited to do nothing more than shake hands at the station taxi rank.

If lovers insist on puckering-up, they now have to go to a designated kissing area. The signs were put up during a £1m station revamp - but the move has set the tongues wagging.

 

Jenna Seddon and Andy Ross

 

Amy Swain, 21, who was travelling to Lancaster with her partner Malcolm Kenny, 23, said: "I don't see the point in the no-kissing sign. I don't think it'll stop people. But the kissing sign is good, although it might be upsetting if you're single."

John Finney, 29, from St Helens, said: "Someone in an office somewhere must have a good sense of humour.

"We're law-abiding citizens, though, so of course we won't be breaking the rules."

His partner, Lynne Surgenor, 24, from Glasgow, said: "His car was parked beneath the kissing sign and I thought he'd put it up as a joke. It made me laugh."

Train passenger Jenna Seddon, 23, from Warrington, said: "I think the signs are quite sweet. It's romantic and a bit of fun. It'll stop people from holding up the traffic as well."

Ruth Hardman, 31, and Alan Dawson, 36, were heading home to the Lake District.

Gob-smacked

Ruth said: "I was gob-smacked when I saw them. They should spend the money on something more worthwhile."

The idea of putting them up in Warrington was suggested by Colin Daniels, the chief executive of Warrington Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Daniels said: "It was all a bit of fun. But now Virgin Trains have agreed to erect them as part of the refurbishment.

"They may seem frivolous, but there is a serious message underneath. They certainly make our station unique."

The first kissing zones emerged at American stations in the 1950s for wives to say goodbye to husbands heading to work. But then the village of Deerfield, near Chicago, hit the headlines in 1979 when it created a `No Kissing Zone' at its station after complaints about passionate couples causing traffic delays.

A couple were arrested in India last September after claims their kiss outside a Delhi train station left commuters `feeling bad'.

But an obscenity charge was over thrown by the courts earlier this month.

[Stoat]

But Muslims can take as much time as they like to behead their spouses.

FOXNews.com - Muslim Television Channel Founder Charged With Beheading His Wife - Local News News Articles National News US News

Muzzammil Hassan, who founded Bridges TV in November 2004 to counter anti-Islam stereotypes

He's certainly accomplished his goal, hasn't he?

[Grizzled Bear]

Yes sir, yes sir, track number five. Say how about a shine?

[Slings and Arrows]

It’s a religion of pieces.

[LibertyRocks]

See, that’s the thing that the Brits don’t understand about the American Stations. I’ve NEVER seen any “no kissing” signs, etc... However, the Kiss ‘n Ride “parking” lots are meant for those people who are dropping people off — so they don’t have to PAY TO PARK - just pull up, kiss goodbye, and go...

It has NOTHING to do with actual kissing!!! You’d think by their understanding that people are REQUIRED to kiss before letting their passenger out at the “Kiss ‘n’ Ride” lots. LOL