25 JANUARY 1992, Page 20

Unlettered

A reader received this letter from Cus- tomer Services, South London Lines, Victoria Station.

Thank you for your letter of 13 December 1991.

I was most concerned to learn of the problems you experienced recently. Unfortunately the 18.20 service had to be cancelled due to a member of staff meeting with an accident at Balham. The current had to be discharged whilst the employee was assisted and conveyed to hospital.

We are constantly impressing upon our staff the need to provide clear and accurate information to our customers. When disruptions occur every effort is made to ensure that information is passed on to our customers as soon as it is received and I do regret that there was a failure on this occasion.

We do receive many letters regarding the background music we provide at Victoria. In the main, the comments given are quite favourable.

We feel that this presence supplies an ambience and creates a 'white noise' effect, in that it withdraws from the oth- erwise monotonous tones which are associated with a busy mainline station.

We do appreciate that tastes in music will vary, and do our best to please as many people as possible. May I assure you that we register Passenger com- ments and, where public demand requires, do review the situation. In this instance however, we do not feel that it would meet with popular demand to discontinue the music.

I have to advise you that The Passen- ger Terms of carriage state that The Board does not guarantee that trains shall start or arrive at the time specified in the timetables and it will not be liable for any loss or damage which may arise from delay to or detention of the pas- senger. Therefore I regret that I am unable to authorise any reimbursement on this occasion.

Please accept my sincere regrets for the inconvenience that you were caused. Yours sincerely Ruby Elliott Customer Services

11 you have an example of a crass, illiter- ate, ignorant, irrelevant or embarrassing letter or notice from a company or pub- lic body, send a copy to Unlettered, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London, WCIN 2LL. £10 for each one printed.