Bike storage on 22k

[plant43]

Sorry if wrong forum.

I was on the 22k Limerick-Heuston service this morning (I got on at Newbridge). There was a Korean engineer (I think) around the train and once he saw my bike (it's a semi fold-up bike) he opened the bike storage compartment beside the wheelchair accessible toilet and so I very handily got to store my bike there.

However it doesn't look like there is space for two bikes in the compartment, it really looks like there is only room for one bike (standing up). So on a six car set, there is only space for two bikes, which is really shocking.

[Mark Hennessy]

I think your friendly Korean engineer has showed you something that Irish Rail won't even admit to having.

Mark G has the full details.

[Mark Gleeson]

We have been actively discussing this with a number of groups representing cyclists and there appears to be some movement to provide space for 3 bikes per 3 coach set

At least you got on with the bike, many Irish Rail staff refuse to let you on even though the space it there

http://www.railusers.ie/news/news.php?year=2008&no=5.html

[Ronald Binge]

What is it about Irish Rail and bikes? I have zero problems with Northern Ireland Railways and for years I was able to carry a bicycle free of charge and with zero hassle on every railway I ever travelled on in London including Network South East suburban trains and even the London Underground outside the deep level tubes.

Once you go into the 26 counties bikes become a major problem.

[Mark Gleeson]

Try to bring your bike in the Uk on a long distance service it gets complex

NIR won't carry before 9:30am

[Colm Moore]

NIR won't carry before 9:30amOn commuter trains this is understandable, eapecially at peak times, however off-peak and long distance provision needs to be made.

[MrX]

A friend of mine had hassle from ticket checkers getting a bike onto the new cork dublin train and that's got a full luggage carriage at the pointy end. Could easly hold 60+ bikes.

Providing no space for bikes or camping equipment is utterly ridiculous, particularly in the case of trains going to heavily touristy destinations like into Kerry and Galway. It will just damage the tourism industry.

[sean]

+1

[CSL]

what killarney train can a bike be taken on ?

[Mark Gleeson]

18:30 Dublln Tralee and 7:15 Tralee Dublin

All trains Dublin Mallow carry bikes however not all trains Mallow Tralee, though the bulk of them can

[Thomas J Stamp]

A friend of mine had hassle from ticket checkers getting a bike onto the new cork dublin train and that's got a full luggage carriage at the pointy end. Could easly hold 60+ bikes.

Providing no space for bikes or camping equipment is utterly ridiculous, particularly in the case of trains going to heavily touristy destinations like into Kerry and Galway. It will just damage the tourism industry.

plenty of room on the bus!!!

[Derek Wheeler]

plenty of room on the bus!!!

Or just buy an SUV or camper van. Do it in style!

I appreciate the issue at stake, but its hardly a pressing one, considering the state of the network in terms of immediate passenger issues. IE are streamlining the service to suit their agenda and perhaps thats based on a very naieve perspective or insular media driven opinion of the service. A bike story will make the news on a comatose news day. Apart from that, expect short change from the lords of Amiens street. IE will only wake up to the cycling challenge, when its Government policy. Where's those Green Ministers now.:D

[CSL]

DCENR is beginning to roll out bicycles to civil servants for travelling to meetings at the moment as part of the "Power of one" campaign

DOEHLG will follow on shortly

[ACustomer]

CSL: what on earth are DCENR and DOEHLG?

[Mark Gleeson]

Probably had more complaints and queries about this subject in the last 6 months then on any issue ever

The issues at hand are classic Irish Rail, lack of information, inconsistent availabilty of spaces, staff who refuse bikes despite space being onboard, sometimes bikes are charged sometime not

Irish Rail misled the public with stories of space for 2 bikes on each 3 coach train, it barely takes one, we should not forget that the new train when it arrived into Dublin had no bike spaces at all

Upcoming EU legislation requires Irish Rail to provide clear information on the carriage of bike before travel, currently they offer no information at all. You will be hard pushed to find a regional or intercity train anywhere in Europe which doesn't carry bikes. Third party guidence is currently being sought as the optimum number of bikes per train

Lack of bike space is also starting to hurt tourism and is sending out a very negative message. We need to bear in mind that outside peak periods the trains are very quiet

[plant43]

CSL: what on earth are DCENR and DOEHLG?

DCENR - Dept Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

DOEHLG - Dept Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

[CSL]

The two departments are the two "Green" ministries. Apologies, they are acronyms I'm used to every day.

[Derek Wheeler]

Probably had more complaints and queries about this subject in the last 6 months then on any issue ever


Thats funny. Must be a new thing. I have a record of only 2 queries from June 2005 to November 2007 and both were from the Dublin cycling campaign. Ive a list as long as your arm about other issues. Not that the cycling campaign aren't right in their endeavours, but its not a major issue on the ground. If you want another complaint Mark, how about this one. Getting buggies onto trains is a nightmare such is the gap between platform and train. Once on the train the storage space for a buggy is poor. Now thats probably an issue thats bigger than bikes and just because you may not have had complaints about it, doesn't mean its not an issue. It means that mothers/fathers with buggies and "issues" couldn't be arsed emailing you or have never heard of you or RUI.

Your quote above is rediculously insular.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Getting buggies onto trains is a nightmare such is the gap between platform and train. Once on the train the storage space for a buggy is poor. Now thats probably an issue thats bigger than bikes and just because you may not have had complaints about it, doesn't mean its not an issue.

You know what, I was in Tara last week as some species of DART came in (I was off to renew my Parnell Park Pass :D ) and the gap was scary. How people get buggys on and off on the dart is a joke, as for intercity, you're having a laugh son, the doors are still to small and the gaps and climbs involved are stupid and then, simple thing now we're getting rid of guards vans - where do you put your buggy.

I take it Derek that you are speaking from experiance. I had it too, once, than said sod it and we got our first car. But sure, all IE wants to be is a glorified commuter service. If you're out of the norm you can basically go to hell. Trains are for going to work and coming home in - that's what the message is now we're switching to railcars which have no capability to store goods/parcells/buggy.

As for all the calls about bikes, I swear to god it's true. On my first day back I got a call from the UK about it. In fact all the calls about it come from the UK :eek:

[Colm Moore]

OK, I have to admit that I am one of those urging adequate provision for cyclists.You know what, I was in Tara last week as some species of DART came in (I was off to renew my Parnell Park Pass :D ) and the gap was scary. How people get buggys on and off on the dart is a joke, as for intercity, you're having a laugh son, the doors are still to small and the gaps and climbs involved are stupid and then, simple thing now we're getting rid of guards vans - where do you put your buggy.In the bicycle cupboard! ;)

In the carraige I was in on a Mark 4 the other day there was two babies (both remarkably calm for the trip) in the seats next to the wheelchair accessible WC. One pram was in use for the duration with a very small baby, I'm not sure about the other. Of course on a fuller train, more prams, more wheelchairs, more luggage and more people can make things much more difficult, especially on those least capable of dealing with additional difficulty.

It will of course depend on how much else is carried (the smaller the baby seemingly the more the luggage), but I imagine 99% of buggies and prams fold. Most others, including the well laden ones, should fit in the space under the first shelf of the luggage rack.

The Gap: Buggies should be able to manage some gap or some step. However on curved platforms, especially on carriages with end doors, the combination becomes too much. IÉ will say you can use the wheelchair ramp, but I think this is an inadequate excuse as you are making people dependent on the deployment of the ramp by staff.

[Thomas J Stamp]

It will of course depend on how much else is carried (the smaller the baby seemingly the more the luggage), but I imagine 99% of buggies and prams fold. Most others, including the well laden ones, should fit in the space under the first shelf of the luggage rack.

The Gap: Buggies should be able to manage some gap or some step. However on curved platforms, especially on carriages with end doors, the combination becomes too much. IÉ will say you can use the wheelchair ramp, but I think this is an inadequate excuse as you are making people dependent on the deployment of the ramp by staff.

But there's only one wheelchair ramp per station isnt there? As for the smaller the baby, correct and right.

[Mark Gleeson]

The buggy issue has virtually vanished since the fleet is entirely automatic doors, which are wider as well, combined with the fact the bulk of the fleet complies with accessibilty rules so the buggy can be placed in the wheelchair spaces which is nearly always vacant, the wheelchair footbridges helped as well, remembering that 1 in 4 passengers have a mobility inpairment of some kind

Trick of course it to get on and off the wrong way around

Every platform should have a ramp, there is one ramp carried per accessible Mk4 or 22k coach (its hidden in the wall opposite the toilet on board)

[Colm Moore]

Getting little off topic (but staying with spoked wheels, as opposed to flanged), but how does a wheelchair or wide pram get to the counter in the dining car? Especially if their is no trolley service? The gap between seats is narrow and is even narrower again due to the glass screen between the seat area and the counter.

Shouldn't dining cars have an allocation of accessible seats?