Bicycles on trains - new policy from May?

[whole diary]

[ray951]

Has anyone heard about a change in GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) policy about bicycles on trains?

According to a conversation I overheard between a ticket inspector and a cyclist last week, cyclists will need to make a booking before taking their bicycles on all GWR trains from May, currently you only need to book on high speed trains. I can understand why GWR may want to do this given the way that some cyclists abuse the current rules by piling as many bikes as possible into the vestibules making it awkward for other passengers to get on and off the train. Although I am not sure how you would enforce this policy on a DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) train, it would be hard enough at a manned station never mind at an unmanned station.

Although of course it is one thing to introduce a policy and another to enforce it, and I am not convinced that the current policies are enforced today and even if enforced what would be the consequence of being caught on the train without a booking?

And to avoid accusations that I am anti-cyclist I do take my folding bike on the train every day and I assume this policy, if true, would not apply to folding bikes.

[ChrisB]

if enforced what would be the consequence of being caught on the train without a booking?

Can't answer as I've heard nothing - we have a Customer Panel meeting next month where I can raise it if we haven't an answer beforehand...but I suggest the answer to the quote is that they could kick you off at the next stop, and you'd be 'on your bike', quite literally.

[Ollie]

This isn't quite correct, at the moment reservations are mandatory on some high speed services, but from May it will be all high speed services. There's no change for Turbos or the West fleet.

Folding bikes will remain allowed on any train and reservations won't be required as they can be treated as luggage.

[grahame]

This isn't quite correct, at the moment reservations are mandatory on some high speed services, but from May it will be all high speed services.

Oh that could be interesting ... reservation needed on the 07:06 Newton Abbot to Paignton, but not on the 07:52 ... the first being a high speed service and the second being a higher speed service (taking less time) 

[Ollie]

To clarify, by High Speed Services I mean those operated by an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) or a Class 180

[Richard Fairhurst]

Yikes. Is there a right-now operational reason, or is it in readiness for the IEPs^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) (where I believe bike spaces will have electronic reservations and will be, to some degree, scattered throughout the train)?

[charles_uk]

To clarify, by High Speed Services I mean those operated by an HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) or a Class 180

That could cause some fun for the commuting cyclists on the Cotswold Line....

[IndustryInsider]

That could cause some fun for the commuting cyclists on the Cotswold Line....

Yes, in-so-much as it won't work!

[The Tall Controller]

The policy change actually brings GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) in line with the majority of other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company). The purpose of it this is to give customers a 'soft landing' in the build up to IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project. This will offer more capacity on routes, save money, give a consistent and safe service and meet customer requirements. Intended to replace HSTs.) which will have compulsory bike reservations.

[TaplowGreen]

I don't think I've ever seen the cycle policy enforced on LT V....selfish idiots still seem to think it's acceptable to block the vestibules on Turbos with full size bikes during the peaks in and out of London, and tend to be full of righteous indignation if asked to move/show consideration for others.

[TonyK]

The advantage of a policy applying to every passenger on certain trains is that it is easier to enforce than one which is a little ambiguous. Limiting cycles to, say, two per carriage will always start an argument about who was where first, and will never result in the third person saying "OK, I'll get off then".

[Richard Fairhurst]

The policy change actually brings GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) in line with the majority of other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company).

It would be more accurate to say "the majority of other intercity TOCs", but even then the comparison is a little misleading.

Many point-to-point journeys on intercity franchises are duplicated by slower journeys on regional/L&SE franchises, for which reservations aren't compulsory. So it's not a big deal if Virgin insist on bike reservations for (say) Coventry-Birmingham, because you can always just jump on a London Midland train without reservation.

But that isn't the case for key Great Western routes, such as Didcot-Bristol/Newport or the Cotswold Line. Here, the sole service is provided by GWR using (now) compulsory-reservation stock. I can understand the rationale on peak-time trains towards London, but less so if I'm heading from Charlbury to Worcester with my bike at a weekday lunchtime.

If bike reservations could be made while the train was in transit (as seats can be on CrossCountry), and it was possible to do so at an unstaffed station (i.e. at a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) or through an app), then it could work. As it is, however, I'm just glad I have that rare thing, a folding bike capable of being ridden for long distances!

[Visoflex]

....selfish idiots still seem to think it's acceptable to block the vestibules on Turbos with full size bikes during the peaks

Will this also apply to pushchairs and people with large 4 wheel suitcases in the peak too?

[lordgoata]

....selfish idiots still seem to think it's acceptable to block the vestibules on Turbos with full size bikes during the peaks

Will this also apply to pushchairs and people with large 4 wheel suitcases in the peak too?

Are they banned on some peak services then, like bikes ?

[Tim]

....selfish idiots still seem to think it's acceptable to block the vestibules on Turbos with full size bikes during the peaks

Will this also apply to pushchairs and people with large 4 wheel suitcases in the peak too?

the comparison is only partly valid, I think.  The particular problem with commuter bikes is that they tend by definition to be used on peak time commuter services.  Luggage and buggies tend to be travelling off peak and not every day.  I find it hard to begrudge the student travelling with too much luggage once a term or the parent and taking the family and buggy to the seaside once a year.  I wouldn't put those people into the same category of selfish as the person who blocks the Turbo vestibule every single day.

I think it is unrealistic (and selfish) to expect to be able to travel in the peak day in day out every day as part of your commute.  BUT, I would like to think that the railway would carry the more occasional cyclist (or the commuter who is transferring his/her second bike to the station as a one off).   I've said it before, but I would favour charging a fare for bikes.  Make it affordable and simple (say a flat rate of ^5 for the whole day??) and it is unlikely to be a major  burden to the occasional user, BUT at ^25 per week, it would incentivise the regular commuter to come up with a different solution to have a bike at both ends of their journey (ie buy a second bike or a folding one).