Bikes on trains - petition the PM

[patricktaylor]

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/bikes-on-trains/

 

[lynx]

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/bikes-on-trains/

I like your thinking but why not contact the train companies? CTC to fight on your behalf?

These things rarely get any credence in any circles of politics.

 

[Soltydog]

I'm all in favour, but it will be a long hard slog to fight all the private companies to change the design of their rolling stock. They dont want to spend any money at all unless there is some reward for them

 

[patricktaylor]

I was thinking for a couple of minutes effort, it seems worth doing. I presume the PM will get to read it in a year's time or so, and he's got more power than me.

 

[Jaded]

I'm all in favour, but it will be a long hard slog to fight all the private companies to change the design of their rolling stock. They dont want to spend any money at all unless there is some reward for them

The reward is there if you can show that they'll make more money from the space. They'll either do that by charging huge amounts for bikes* or from a Government subsidy.

*Our local Train Operating Company has been looking at removing buffet cars from trains because they weigh a lot and don't carry many passengers.

 

[patricktaylor]

The petition states that "a national policy is required." That's for the Government to do, and the reward (if applicable) = votes.

<added>Interesting comment about the buffet cars.</added>

 

[lynx]

The reward is there if you can show that they'll make more money from the space. They'll either do that by charging huge amounts for bikes* or from a Government subsidy.

*Our local Train Operating Company has been looking at removing buffet cars from trains because they weigh a lot and don't carry many passengers.

Remeber you are no longer a passenger but a customer.

Cattle have more rights than a human

 

[dynohub]

A worthy campaign, but given the fact there isn't even enough room for regular luggage on most trains nowadays, I wouldn't hold out much hope...

 

[Riding in Circles]

I've signed it but I do not see it being likely, integrated transport policy is only for integrating cars with roads, don't believe anything else.

 

[jonesy]

A worthy campaign, but given the fact there isn't even enough room for regular luggage on most trains nowadays, I wouldn't hold out much hope...

Yes, I'm afraid we have to be realistic. With the level of overcrowding on so many of our trains the priority has to be more space for passengers, and that is going to be extremely hard given constraints on train length and servoce frequency.

 

[simon l& and a half]

Dave Holladay of the CTC makes this point to the TOC's. Put a bike rack at one end of the journey, another at the other end, and you've sold a season ticket. The London termini now have hundreds of bike racks with really rubbish bikes chained to them, left overnight and at the weekend. Come Monday morning, commuters stream off the trains, unchain their rusty steeds, and do the two or three miles or whatever to work. It beats the Waterloo and City line.

 

[domd1979]

Vastly improving cycle parking at stations definitely has a lot of potential to increase cycle/rail journeys for commuting. Where I've seen new cycle parking go in at stations it hasn't taken long for it to be well used. It would be even more effective if the rail industry and DfT weren't so obsessed with building ever more car parking at stations under the pretence its sustainable because the train gets used for part of the journey.

Put a bike rack at one end of the journey, another at the other end, and you've sold a season ticket.

 

[Bug]

This is one area where I must praise South West Trains. I take my full-size road bike on the train in rush hour every day on the Fareham - Waterloo line. Never been a problem. On the days I can't get it in the bike space (shared use with seating) I just hold it in the doorway. Never once been challenged by a guard. Fantastic!

 

[Keith Oates]

South West Trains - Fareham to Waterloo Line - ?? - !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!