where do you put them on a 390?VTWC offer them until 5 minutes before departure from the boarding station. There is no excuse for other TOCs not doing the same.
where do you put them on a 390?VTWC offer them until 5 minutes before departure from the boarding station. There is no excuse for other TOCs not doing the same.
where do you put them on a 390?
Seems fair in principle, however some trains such as Voyagers, Pendolinos (as you mention), IEPs, HSTs, 225s, certain types of Sprinters, and so on, have a dedicated space which is not really usable for standing capacity and doesn’t contain any tipup seats, so there is no real reason to ban bikes at peak times from these trains.I also think they should not be permitted at peak times in the direction of peak flow, but they mostly aren't anyway. Perhaps the few TOCs that don't do this should start doing so
Seems fair in principle, however some trains such as Voyagers, Pendolinos (as you mention), IEPs, HSTs, 225s, certain types of Sprinters, and so on, have a dedicated space which is not really usable for standing capacity and doesn’t contain any tipup seats, so there is no real reason to ban bikes at peak times from these trains.
Clearly having bikes on rush hour trains is not practical. Lots of Dutch people have two bikes, one at each end of their train journey. Bike storage at most UK stations needs to be improved. For example Whittlesford has far more bikes than space to park them. They are attached railings and lamp posts all over the place.Surely if you can use your bike to commute you can go without using the train? If not, don't take the bike with you and walk to your destination.
Ban bikes on the services which are regularly busy, such as commuter services in the peaks. 100s of commuters trying to get to seats on the train won't want to be stuck behind a bike - advise those using bikes to travel in the off-peak.
-Peter
Definitely.Clearly having bikes on rush hour trains is not practical. Lots of Dutch people have two bikes, one at each end of their train journey. Bike storage at most UK stations needs to be improved. For example Whittlesford has far more bikes than space to park them. They are attached railings and lamp posts all over the place.
They pay their way in the form of their tickets, much like anyone else who brings an item of large luggage - which is what bikes effectively are. Are you going to start charging to reserve a space for a large suitcase?
It effectively does. If you're going to ban them on any service, it'll be the best timed ones for commuters which are therefore the busiest, meaning therefore people will not be able to commute by bike.
Again, I'm fine with this. If it means I never need to share a train with some sweaty middle-aged man in lycra, who has almost pegged out trying to set some sort of Strava Best, then clanked their racing machine off the back of my legs repeatedly... I'm all for it. Bimbling to work on a bike is one thing, but the egomania and oblivious self-centered attitude of your typical pedaling commuter is off the charts. Trying to squeeze yet another bike onto a busy train is further proof of this.
but then defining a busy train is difficult. I have caught a mid morning train from settle that was full and standingClearly having bikes on rush hour trains is not practical. Lots of Dutch people have two bikes, one at each end of their train journey. Bike storage at most UK stations needs to be improved. For example Whittlesford has far more bikes than space to park them. They are attached railings and lamp posts all over the place.
I think that should be a thing too, or at least better organisation. I got a train recently and the door to platform on both sides at one end of the carriage was totally blocked with a pile of suitcases. Glad there wasn't an emergency!They pay their way in the form of their tickets, much like anyone else who brings an item of large luggage - which is what bikes effectively are. Are you going to start charging to reserve a space for a large suitcase?
I agree bikes should be restricted to reservation only. But I don't think you should charge for that reservation, and I also believe those kinds of reservations should be available a lot closer to the time of departure than currently.
if Squeezy jet and Ryanair can charge for large luggage, why cant TOC's?I think that should be a thing too, or at least better organisation. I got a train recently and the door to platform on both sides at one end of the carriage was totally blocked with a pile of suitcases. Glad there wasn't an emergency!
but then defining a busy train is difficult. I have caught a mid morning train from settle that was full and standing
again I caught a barrow - manc Airport train about lunchtime. 2 car 158, people standing in the vestibules. And loads waiting at carnforth and lancaster. Some with large cases as they were flying on holiday, I suppose.
Our trains are too short to cope with all the passengers, never mind large bulky objects like bikes. We need a debate at national level about having enough trains for the traffic, whether that includes bikes, and who pays for such provision.
For many cyclists compulsory reservations are almost as good as a ban because if you're returning from anywhere by train with your bike you're unlikely to be certain which train you'll be catching.
Only if you can't book up to the time of travel, which there's no case not to allow.
Commuters can have two bikes, or a folding bike if their destination isn’t consistent.
I agree that bike parking provision needs to be massively improved but someone has to cover the cost, both the capital cost and the lost parking or retail revenue.
I'm unsure what you classify as "peak", but from York to London the trains that are not valid with an off peak ticket will have more spare seats and plenty of space in the DVT for bikes.Personally, and I do not ride a bike, but I am perfectly alright with people taking a bike on an off-peak train, but peak services are a no-no.
Why single out bikes? If you continue to allow large suitcases, that would mean anyone who simply puts their bike in a bike box would get around it. I am not sure you have a lot of real world experience and/or have really thought your proposals through. I would suggest that any radical proposals go in Speculative Ideas too.Also, if a service is known to be busy, the TOC should post information about this around stations which the service calls at and tell people that bikes may not be able to be carried on said train.
Surely anyone should plan to do this, but whether it's fair to say that people with large luggage can no longer use a service as a 'turn up and go' service on that basis is questionable. But also few people commence their overall journeys at places like Paddington and often come from somewhere further afield. Delays to connecting services can occur....Cyclists also should know that they need to get to the station before the train arrives, as should anyone travelling with luggage...
I'm not surprised that this is your view. I do not agree with you....BR didnt bite the nettle - they should have banned bikes from sprinters as soon as they arrived....
And yet they seem to be OK in neighbouring countries.Bikes are just incompatible with modern railways.
They need not be but British stations are almost as hostile to bikes as people with reduced mobility: few escalators, lifts that are slow/small/both, and a bizarre inability to install wheeling ramps correctly on stairs - Cambridge is particularly bad, with them installed on the wrong sides, directly under the hand rails (hope your bike is short and narrow!) and with sides high enough to trash the derailleurs common on bikes in Britain.Far more inconvenient, awkward, slow, and painful than luggage when wheeled around stations and in and out of doors.
Not all bikes are muddy MTBs.And if they aren’t in vestibules they are a muddy nuisance,
Fund it by selling the car parking which won't be needed any more!I agree that bike parking provision needs to be massively improved but someone has to cover the cost, both the capital cost and the lost parking or retail revenue.
I agree with the premise, and personally I agree with having bike spaces on trains. But playing devil's advocate: if bikes weren't allow on trains, it would make space for more seats or standing room. If two cyclists are removed from a train (and start driving instead), but four extra walking passengers board (who were previously driving), the total number of cars on the road falls.
Obviously this is a very simplistic argument, but you get the idea.
So presumably the argument about freeing up space for more passengers would apply to people with prams / pushchairs and naturally anyone with more than hand luggage, and I’ve not mentioned wheelchairs! What exactly is the purpose of a train then?
Provision should be made on all trains for the number of passengers travelling, along with their children, luggage, bicycles, pushchairs and mobility aids. Trains aren’t big enough, well then we need longer and more accommodating trains. The purpose of the railways is to carry people and their accoutrements comfortably, safely and efficiently, and if we are to reduce greenhouse emissions, has to persuade anyone making journeys that the train is an attractive (if less convenient) to the car. After all the railway is a public service (just like water, gas electricity etc) supported by government.
I'd argue that wheelchairs, pushchairs and (to a certain extent) luggage are essentials in a way that bikes aren't.
All well and good saying that, but the reality is that the infrastructure imposes limits on this as the cost of lengthening platforms etc. is prohibitive. This is the reason why we are seeing less seating on newer trains (certainly in south east commuter land).
Wheelchairs and pushchairs are essential for users to get around, bikes are not (hence many TOCs ban non-folding bikes in the peaks).