DfT’s rail White Paper has good news for bikes

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly today announced a new rail strategy.

The strategy document, Delivering a Sustainable Railway, has a full page on bikes on trains.

Cycling England chair Phillip Darnton said:
“For the first time this [White paper] offers the prospect of real clarity for the public on how they can use their bicycles as part of their wider journey. It should encourage more commuters to give up their cars in favour of bikes when travelling from home to the station. The measures announced today may actually lead to fewer bikes on commuters trains because cyclists will have access to more secure cycle parking at stations and feel safer about leaving their bikes there.”

The white paper says:

There is a strong synergy between cycling and rail. Used in combination,
they provide one of the most environmentally friendly options for travel
to work. This form of commuting is likely to expand as concern about
climate change grows. It is in the railway’ commercial and environmental
interests to facilitate this.

Action is needed to include cycling provision to, from and at stations,
and on board trains. Local authorities already have powers and
resources to provide safe cycle routes to any destination and the pilot
station travel plans will encourage a more joined-up and
environmentally focussed approach to station access. But cycle
storage facilities are also important since the priority requirement is
to facilitate use of cycles for travel to work, and commuters are those
most likely to want to store their bikes, rather than take them onto the
busiest trains. The adequacy of cycle storage facilities at stations
varies widely, as does the quality of their management. Improving
cycle facilities at stations is also the key link in most cycle-plus-rail
journeys, which require a distinct focus.

To provide the necessary focus in this area, ATOC, Cycling England,
Network Rail and Passenger Focus will be invited to form a Cycle-Rail
Task Force, actively supported by the Government. The Task Force’
job will be to promote best practice (particularly at stations), to help
Government get the detail of the franchising regime right, and to monitor
the effectiveness of measures to promote cycle-plus-rail travel.

Future franchises will clarify the position on carriage of cycles on trains:

• Folding bicycles should be able to be carried at all times, free of charge.

• Train operators should be able to exclude non-folding cycles during
peak periods. Train operators are best placed to know where such
pressure exists. The apparent attractions of a single national set of
rules are outweighed by the fact that it would be unduly restrictive,
because it would subject lightly used services to the more onerous
restrictions necessary on busy commuter routes.

• Train operators should normally require advance reservation where
there are limited cycle spaces on trains, so that cyclists do not
discover too late that there is no room for their cycle. Where there
is pressure on space, operators may consider charging a reasonable
fare for that reservation. Not all do or will want to. But all operators
should ensure that a passenger-fare and any cycle-reservation can
be booked together at the same time.

• Operators must indicate clearly against each service on the timetable
whether or not cycles are permitted, whether there is a charge and
whether reservations are required; a reservation must guarantee the
space. Cyclists should not have to refer to separate guidance.

www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/whitepapercm7176/