Trike on trains

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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
I have the 'bursting into tears option' (used very successfully to get Comet to take back a dodgy washing machine) as well as pulling the disabled card out of the hat as backups. It's a bit rubbish that I have to consider all this, though, when I just want to take my bicycle on a train. Still I'm sure I'll get there - I'll look out for people in Cycle Chat jerseys amongst the thousands of people there...
 

banjokat

New Member
Location
York, UK
If it's any consolation, there's a guy over on the CTC forums who regularly takes his trike on trains, just books it as a bike. AFAIK he's never had a problem
 
Location
EDINBURGH
Looks like I may be driving to an entry point as the SO has declared her wish to go as well and she will not ride into town. So look out for a purple Catrike Expedition and a silver Catrike Villager.
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
A bit of an update to the Trikes on Trains information.

I was given authorisation to take my trike to Freewheel, as I explained above, and I wrote a letter to thank the chap who works for National Express trains who provided the letter. I said that I had a hankering to take the train to Norwich and then cycle to visit some relatives (12 miles from Norwich) but assumed that once again I wasn't allowed. This was the response:

Hi Helen

Its great to hear you had a good day and that the staff were helpful with your journey.

The permission was not given as a one off, we would be happy to see you again. As previously stated please try to arrange trips around our intercity services as these can easily accommodate a trike.

Hope your trip to Norwich is as enjoyable.

Regards
Paul


Good news!
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
It is, although I have no idea how senior this chap is (although I think he's fairly senior) and whether brandishing his name will do the trick. I can but try - and Ben Lovejoy who uses the same train company says he's not had problems.
 

A V Lowe

Über Member
Is that the same Auntie Helen formerly of these parts in the North? If so lets keep plugging for the recognition of cycles as mobility aids - hope to have something soon from one operator on this and trikes/tandems, and we can move forward with a petition to get DfT Mobility Unit and others to properly recognise cycles as mobility aids, where they quite obviously provide independent personal mobility to those who are prohibited from driving etc.

As corollary to that of course anyone who 'needs' a trike to get around should then hit the rail operators with the requirements of RVAR (access to trains) for PRM (persons with reduced mobility) - ie more than just disabled people.

RVAR means that all trains should let things up to 80cm wide get on board and have somewhere to park. Worth diving in to this for a bit of serious reading and something to quote that stops Mr Jobsworth in his tracks (as they don't know if they are liable to challenge for discrimination or other legal detail and when in doubt they have 2 options - capitulate or slam down the shutters - in both cases you win something, as you either get on the train or you contact the local media - radio phone in? and advise that you are stranded and if anyone listening is heading in your direct and could manage to fit in a passenger and mobility aid....).
 
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Auntie Helen

Auntie Helen

Ich bin Powerfrau!
I'm an Auntie Helen from daan saaf so I don't think it's me (Kent formerly, now Essex).

Interesting thoughts, though, about cycles as mobility aids. That's not my issue as my disability is in my arm but it's an extra string to the bow of arguments for trikes to be accepted on trains etc.
 
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