Have your say on government e-petitions

Stop the "feet on seats" bye-law scam on Merseyrail.

Submitted on Tuesday 22nd January 2013

Published on Wednesday 23rd January 2013

Current status: Closed

Closed: Tuesday 23rd April 2013

Signatures: 5

Tagged with

Citizens ~ Law

Petition Action

Stop the "feet on seats" bye-law scam on Merseyrail.

Additional Information

The government should repeal the 1889 bye-laws about "molesting the comfort of other train users by placing feet on the seat/structure of the seat". The Government may alternatively revise said laws to account for people who cause visible soiling to seat parts where people actually sit.

It is estimated that citizens falls victim to this law at least once daily at a fixed cost of £50. After court fees this can go beyond £420 and possibly result in a criminal conviction! Merseyrail has defended its use by arguing that it has been part of their strategy against anti-social behaviour. It is not anti-social behaviour to relax with your feet up... Merseyrail don't understand the concept of correlation =/= causation, it was other measures that reduced that behaviour.

Magistrates have ruled that this law is draconian and by 2007 there had already been 840 convictions based on this bye-law. This wastes magistrates time and costs the victims of this legal scam tens of thousands every year.


You can't sign this petition because it is now closed. But you can still comment on it here at Repetition.me!

Have your say on this petition!

comments powered by Disqus

repetition.me is a Good Stuff website

18.119.123.32 Thu, 25 Apr 2024 15:18:50 +0100