[sustran] Bikes on trains (fwd)

[Paul Barter]

Many of us know about the great benefits of bike parking at major public
transport stops and stations.  Many cities are also increasingly allowing
bicycles onto trains.  With so many rail projects underway and planned in
Asia, this could become an important issue here.

I am also reposting this to make you aware of the Bicycle News Agency...
see URL at the end of the message.
Paul.


  Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 01:47:53 +0100
    From: Ernst Poulsen <ernst at inet.uni2.dk>
    To: bikenews at cycling.org, eurobike at cycling.org, scancykel at cycling.org
    Subject: Bikenews 22/97: Bicycles enter subway trains

    The Bicycle News Agency 22/97
    November 17th, 1997

    BIKES ENTER SUBWAY TRAINS

    Copenhagen, Brussels, and Barcelona are setting examples
    for the rest of the world by radically improving conditions for
    cyclists on subway trains.

    By Ernst Poulsen

    Politicians and civil servants have finally come to understand
    that the combination of trains and bicycles is the perfect way
    of getting citizens to change to more ecological way of
    transport in the European capitols and large cities.

    Copenhagen has a 10-year history of slowly improving conditions
    for cyclists, and combined with regular counting cyclists, the
    authorities are able to measure the results of specific campaigns.

    One very interesting result is the recent 54% percent increase
    in the number of cyclists on subway trains. The huge jump came
    as a result of a special campaign which made it free to
    bring bikes on trains during the weekend. An advertisement
    campaign brought extra focus to the service.

    The S-trains presently allow two bicycle per train wagon-set. An
    average train will allow 4-6 bicycles. This will slowly improve
    as newly designed wagons are put into service. These hold
    room for at least 8 bicycles, no matter the length of the train.

    Barcelona is another city with improved services for cyclists.
    This city has allowed bicycles on trains on weekends since
    1993, but as this has proved to be without problems, cyclists
    are now allowed to bring their bicycles onto the trains all week
    outside rush hours.

    The Barcelona trains allow cyclists without any charges, and
    the Spanish city is also about to change station gates to
    allow easy access with bicycles.

    Brussels has gone through the same period of "trial" - finding
    out that bikes on trains do not generate problems. In Brussels
    it costs a one time fee of 1,25 Euro/Ecu to buy bicycle pass
    which will allow the bike on trains on weekdays after 7 pm
    (19.00) and all weekend.

    -----------------------------------------------------------
    FURTHER INFORMATION

    The Danish Railways - S-Trains (select "cykler") (in Danish)
    http://www.dsb.dk/din_rejse/priser_og_info/billetter/

    Voyager dans la zone de Bruxelles (in French)
    http://www.b-rail.be/F/domestic/formul/zonebxl.htm

    Transports Metropolitan de Barcelona (in English or Catalonian)
    http://www.tmb.net/

    -----------------------------------------------------------
    The Bicycle News Agency / Bikenews at cycling.org
    http://webhotel.uni-c.dk/dcf/agency.htm

    Editor, Ernst Poulsen
    ernst at inet.uni2.dk

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