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Rail companies should be encouraging bike use says Exeter MP

Ben Bradshaw has concerns about Great Western Railway’s new bike booking system for cyclists

Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has sought clarification of Great Western Railway’s (GWR) new rule for passengers bringing bikes onto trains. He says that because of uncertain parliamentary hours, having to reserve a space by 6pm the day before could affect his ability to do his job and believes that rail companies should be doing more to encourage bike use.

From May 16, any passenger travelling with a non-folding bike on one of GWR’s high speed routes has needed a cycle reservation with the firm saying it has made the change due to limited space on trains.

When the decision was announced earlier in the year, Sam Jones from Cycling UK said he feared that commuters would be worst hit – particularly those who may not always know what time they will be returning from work.

Bradshaw apparently falls into this category. Speaking to the Exeter Express and Echo, he said:

"I had serious concerns about this when it was first announced, not least as it would affect my ability to do my job.

"Because of the uncertainty of parliamentary hours and constituency commitments I often don't know in advance what time train I will be able to get to and from London.

"I sought urgent clarification from GWR and they confirmed that you will still be able to put your bike on their trains if there is space, while encouraging people to book in advance.

"But they must do more to improve their booking system. It is ridiculous that you can't book a bike online if you already have a ticket, but have to phone a call centre in India. I tried this on Sunday evening and couldn't get through.

"Rail companies should be doing their best to encourage not discourage bicycle use."

Dan Paines from GWR said that with more people bringing their bikes onto trains, accommodating them was becoming ‘more and more of a problem’.

"It's much more popular than it was even two or three years ago. What we're seeing is that people with bikes and tickets, turning up and finding that there's no space on that train, having to buy another ticket or pay a little bit more to get on the next one."

Sam Jones welcomed the news that bikes were still permitted on board without a booking but said GWR needed to be clearer about their rules.

“We’ve been hearing from concerned members that Great Western is currently not allowing cyclists and their wheels to board without cycle reservations since the new system was introduced. Cycling UK welcomes the involvement of Ben Bradshaw MP as, judging from the response he received, this is not the case and in fact their previous policy is still in play – just not necessarily practised by members of staff.

“Cycling UK would urge Great Western to make this latest return to policy clear to both members of staff and the public, so as to prevent further misunderstanding and misery.

“Last week we heard how there is an increase in the number of people turning to cycle-rail as a means of travelling and commuting. Until Great Western provides a booking service that will facilitate easy, fast and up to the last minute booking for cycles, the implementation of a mandatory booking system unnecessarily penalises those increasing numbers of commuters and season ticket holders who want to use cycle-rail.”

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14 comments

Avatar
nowasps | 8 years ago
0 likes

Will no-one think of the shareholders?

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Edgeley | 8 years ago
1 like

So the trains are running with empty cycle racks.  I may as well choose the alternative Chiltern route into London.

 

And if you miss your train and have a bike with you, there is no way to book it onto another train.   A mate got stuck in Bath when this happened, GWR wouldn't even check if there was room for an unbooked bike, and he ended up having to hire a car to get home.

 

Ben Bradshaw is quite right to complain.

 

 

 

Avatar
alansmurphy | 8 years ago
1 like

Don't worry, it'll be delayed!

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Rod Marton | 8 years ago
1 like

Clearly the reservation only policy has succeeded, as the number of bicycles on the train has plummetted. All the spaces are reserved (but mostly empty): obviously commuters are reserving spaces on multiple trains as, like me, they don't know which train they will be able to catch. In practice this means you can get on which train you want: I have occasionally been asked if I have a reservation to which I have truthfully answered yes: however the reservation isn't necessarily on the train I am boarding. I, for one, have not noticed any significant increase in the number of bikes on trains: rarely is the compartment full and there has never been a problem getting a bike on. GWR are solving a problem that doesn't exist and just creating more hassle for everyone.

 

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to Rod Marton | 8 years ago
0 likes

Rod Marton wrote:

GWR are solving a problem that doesn't exist

It's a problem arriving soon on Platform 1 with the introduction of the new inter-city trains.

Avatar
Mr Agreeable | 8 years ago
1 like

Oh and this whole initiative is to prepare for the arrival of GWR's new rolling stock, which apparently will only have two bike spaces per train. Basically, if you have a bike/train commute and you don't own a Brompton, you're f#&!ed.

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Mr Agreeable | 8 years ago
2 likes

It would be very helpful if GWR gave accurate info about which trains have a reservations policy and which don't. I was turned away at the station gates the other day because apparently the station I wanted to get to is only served by high speed trains (the Inter City ones with the guards vans). The National Rail Enquiries app said I'd be using a local train with no reservations policy. I suspect that the app's info comes from GWR in which case they need to sort it out pronto.

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Eric D | 8 years ago
1 like

So you can buy a ticket, and reserve a space, but turn up find the spaces filled with bikes that have no reservation ?

Is that a system ?

What does it achieve, apart from revenue-generation ?

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Kestevan replied to Eric D | 8 years ago
5 likes

Eric D wrote:

What does it achieve, apart from revenue-generation ?

 

 

Its primary purpose is simply to discourage pesky cyclists from trying to get on trains.

Bloody customers can't take a hint, we put up prices, cancel and delay trains whenever possible and generaly make using the trains as unpleasant and expensive as possible and the buggers keep on coming back.

Have you lot any idea how much more easier and more efficient running a train company would be if there were no passengers? 

Avatar
LegalFun | 8 years ago
0 likes

The east anglian trains are still hit and miss...
The main intercity trains have space for about a dozen bikes in the guards van, but the smaller lines often only have space for one or two bikes which is often filled by pushchairs.

Bikes on trains is also not just for commuters, I have used them to go up to Kings Lynn to pedal round the north Norfolk coast before returning from Cromer or Yarmouth

Avatar
Kitsap Bill | 8 years ago
3 likes

"Dan Paines from GWR said that with more people bringing their bikes onto trains, accommodating them was becoming ‘more and more of a problem’. "

It is a problem only if you are inconvenienced by having to run a rail operation and accomidating passenger needs. 

Its about moving people and facilitating solutions. This is not rocket science, it's congestion.

I do wish AMTRAC was even half as efficient as you guys though.

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to Kitsap Bill | 8 years ago
3 likes
Kitsap Bill wrote:

"Dan Paines from GWR said that with more people bringing their bikes onto trains, accommodating them was becoming ‘more and more of a problem’. "

It is a problem only if you are inconvenienced by having to run a rail operation and accomidating passenger needs. 

Its about moving people and facilitating solutions. This is not rocket science, it's congestion.

I do wish AMTRAC was even half as efficient as you guys though.

Unfortunately GWR is far from the only business that views meeting customer needs as a problem. Luckily most of them go out of business. Sadly GWR has a monopoly

Avatar
Edgeley replied to Kitsap Bill | 8 years ago
1 like

Kitsap Bill wrote:

 

I do wish AMTRAC was even half as efficient as you guys though.

 

 

Amtrack may be rubbish, but some of your local lines are fabulous for cycling.

 

The Caltrain, which runs from San Francisco to San Jose via San Francisco airport and Silicon Valley has an entire bike carriage.

 

Whereas FGW have 6 cycle spaces on each train which we aren't allowed to use now.

 

Wankers.

Avatar
commonsensehuman | 8 years ago
1 like

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