Up to 30 cycles per train - ban axed on next trains

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Bike-ban-axed-following-crowding-earlier-train/story-23349295-detail/story.html

Bike ban axed following crowding on earlier train from Royston to Cambridge

Rail company Govia is to remove restrictions on the 8.07am train from Royston to Cambridge in the hope of reducing the number of bikes being taken on other commuter services.

The ban came into place in 2011 following complaints about overcrowding from other passengers.

There are no restrictions on the preceding train which leaves Royston at 7.40am.

A spokeswoman for Govia said: "The number of cycles being carried on that train is between 24 and 30, most of which are full-size.

"As a result of the cycles, the train is so full that it is often impossible for everyone who wishes to travel on that train to do so.

"Our immediate plan is to remove the restriction on the 8.07am train from Royston to Cambridge as a trial, in the hope that the existing heavy loading of cycles will be spread over two trains rather than just one.

[TaplowGreen]

Every day for I don't know I how long I see signs advising cyclists of when they can/can't take their (full size) bikes on trains, and every day I see cyclists completely ignoring them (mostly on Turbos) - I honestly cannot remember a time I saw platform or on train staff stop this happening or attempt to enforce the rules on non HST^▸ (High Speed Train) services.

Fellow customers are generally treated with self righteous contempt at best or outright hostility at worst for reminding cyclists of the rules.

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

I was on a rail replacement bus from Pangbourne to Tilehurst yesterday, and a lady got on with her (full size) bicycle and put it in the buggy space.  The driver didn^t object.

[a-driver]

Fellow customers are generally treated with self righteous contempt at best or outright hostility at worst for reminding cyclists of the rules.

We aren't treated much better when we do have a chance to politely advise them!

[lordgoata]

Its not just on the trains, the idiots that carry them on their shoulders when getting off the train and walking up/down stairs are just as bad and as arrogant - I've now moved carriage on the trains I usually board just to avoid being whacked on the head by rear wheels!

As an avid cyclist I still think bikes should be banned completely - and that goes for folding bikes, they are just as bad being left in vestibules and aisles.

I shudder to think what will happen to all that loose metal in an accident, or if people need to get off quickly due to an emergency 

[TaplowGreen]

I too am an avid cyclist but like lordgoata despair at the behaviour of some of these.......and don't get me started on them running red lights on the roads......I worked at Highbury corner a few years back and it was like watching people trying to commit suicide.......ignoring lights and the highway code, riding up the inside of HGVs etc...........maybe there should be a SPAD^▸ (Signal Passed At Danger) rule for cyclists?

[dviner]

I often remember the "gentleman" at Maidenhead who used to position himself to be first aboard the Bourne End to Paddington service so that he could dump his Brompton in the vestibule and mooch off to find himself a seat, leaving everyone else trying to get on board clambering around it (although, to be fair, it wouldn't be in the way at Slough).

His behaviour didn't change much when he changed his Brompton for one that just folded in the middle.

So glad that I commute away from London nowadays.

[grahame]

From the Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/nov/13/plan-forcing-cyclists-to-dismantle-bikes-before-using-channel-service-ditched?

Eurostar has reversed its decision to force cyclists to dismantle their bikes before using the Cross-channel rail service after growing pressure from the public.

The company announced that it will continue to accept fully assembled bikes after it was accused of treating cyclists as third class passengers and was warned the plan would discourage new cyclists and make air travel a more attractive option.

[eightf48544]

Perhaps we should adopt another couple of nasty European Habits from the Dutch and have two bikes one for home to station and one from destination to work. Although how you ever find your bike in the huge multi story bike park at Amsterdam Central I don't know.

Or 30 bike spaces in DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) DVTs^‡(resolve) on ICs^▸ (Inter City). Although that did cause a problem on a Koln Leipzig IC at one station as the train was the wrong way round and the DVT was at the front with of course us standing behind the driver. A group of cyclists was waitng at the rear end  of the platform where the DVT was booked to stop. Mad rush up the platform.

[ChrisB]

Perhaps we should adopt another couple of nasty European Habits from the Dutch and have two bikes one for home to station and one from destination to work.

Already happens a lot what with peak bans on carrying cycles....

[Tim]

I think that there ought to be a nominal charge for a bike (say ^2 to ^5).  It would encourage the every day commuter to adopt the solution of having a bike at both ends, not be prohibitively expensive for the occasional user (who would find more bike space), reduce resentment among non-cyclists and provide a level of income to the TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) that might motivate them to improve bike facilities on and off trains.  If having a bike ticket becomes an issue of "revenue protection" the rules might be enforced better too. 

Of course to make any sense the change would have to be nationwide rather then left to individual Tocs

[simonw]

This morning there where 8 bikes in the corridor between the two carriages for the 0657 BPW^» (Bristol Parkway - next trains)->BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI)) train.

No chance for anyone to move between carriages. 

[ChrisB]

Is that potentially an evacuation route?

[IndustryInsider]

The general operating policy is no more than two non-folding cycles per vestibule on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) services, though, as we've said before that is very difficult to enforce on DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) services, or non-DOO services if formed with more than one set and no corridor connections.

[grahame]

The general operating policy is no more than two non-folding cycles per vestibule on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) services, though, as we've said before that is very difficult to enforce on DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) services, or non-DOO services if formed with more than one set and no corridor connections.

Interesting case on the train I was on yesterday ... Cross Country HST^▸ (High Speed Train) ... people are alloweed to load cycles into the "luggage van" section, and to take folded cycles on to the train, right?   And that's what happened.

Chap in "G" - that's the quiet zone / last carriage / door only at one end proceeded to unfold his cycle - set it up so that it was ready to go when he got to destination; caused a bit of a jam for the rest of us, but what is there to prevent this, and is it against the rules?