Tyne & Wear Metro operator rejects calls to allow trial of letting bikes on trains

joemmo: They could have a policy that says carriage is at the discretion of the train staff.

That's what happens on the Northern Rail line I use (if you're not in the way, we'll carry you, basically). I'm overwintering on the Brompton at the moment, but it wasn't a problem last year, or the years before. Cyclists can play their part by stowing the bikes sensibly (topping & tailing them in the bike space, basically).

It's not rocket science, and as the local cycling campaign points out, other countries are able to do it.

On the Coast to Coast route, I recall the final place to have your card stamped was Tynemouth Metro Station ...

There is certainly space on the carriages during certain times of some days but how would you define when these times were in any reliable way? On a weekend match day the metro can be as jammed as weekday rush hour so you’d have to somehow work around the premier league timetable.
The main problem I can see is policing it, the Metro is short staffed as it is and you could imagine it being abused so although it’s a shame, I can see why Nexus are reluctant to try it.

@Stumpy – some stations do have bike lockers, there are a grand total of 4 at my local station (West Monkseaton)
http://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/guide-metro/Cycles

Related to this, a year or so ago I was on the Metro when a lad tried to sneak on to the back carriage with his BMX. The driver must have seen it on camera and said over the PA, “Hoy! No bikes on the train. Off you get.” The lad in question looked around thinking maybe it was someone else so the driver came back on “Honestly son, you’re that conspicuous you might as well have been trying to sneak an elephant on. Off” This got a few laughs then as the train pulled away with kid back on the station he came on again “If there are any passengers with elephants on board, note they are prohibited from using the metro so please remove them at the next stop. Thank you.”

So some of them have a sense of humour at least.

Folded cycles that have handlebars and pedals which stick out MUST be placed in a bag while on Metro

Really? Do they inspect everyone's luggage to make sure there's nothing sticking out? Are folded buggies required to be put in a bag on the train? Are umbrellas sheathed for safety?

I suspect not.

Rail operators within the uk have no interest in any income to be made from cycle carriage, it is to some extent due to the fragmentation into private ownership of public transport in this country, the bottom line being profit rather than service. Many leisure cyclists who live in urban areas of tyneside would I am sure welcome the ability on a sunday morning to use the metro from an above ground to an above ground station to access the countryside, in particular rural Northumbria. However as has been mentioned the rolling stock is currently not suitable being mostly full of seating, removing some seats to provide open space for buggies wheelchairs and bikes, areas which could also be used by straphangers would be asking too much I fear.

...what..not even bikes with Mavic wheels which carry the same 'M' logo as the metro?
(sorry, not a serious point but couldn't resist)

Years ago, me and a friend took our MTBs on at South Shields, late at night, and as the driver walked down the metro to change direction, he asked us to leave the train because we had our bikes... so we had to cycle home in the dark and with no lights. Grrr. No common sense.

To be fair i use the metro quite frequently to travel to Newcastle and there is basically no room to put a full size bike on the train if it's busy.

When it's not busy there is room but you cant legislate for it as, depending on the weather, time of year etc it changes.

Some of the stations have quite a bit of space and could quite easily be fitted with the secure units for putting your bike in but as usual the company will probably charge the earth for it's use.