Bicycles on the DART

[essoII]

I'm sure this has been asked before, so remove this thread if you like..what's irishrail's policy on taking full size, non-portable bikes on the DART?

[Thomas Ralph]

They aren't allowed.

[Colm Moore]

About your only chance of gettign them on is in a charity case "its the last DART and I have a puncture".

It would make sense to allow them on non-peak trains and trams.

[dowlingm]

Bikes allowed on Toronto subways, buses and streetcars from 0930-1530 and 1830-0630 weekdays and all weekend. All new buses have racks and they are being retrofitted to existing ones. Here's the brochure (PDF)

Suburban rail is much the same deal, except foldable bikes at peak is being trialled. They also have a biking trail promotion.

Interurban rail: $20 per bike per ticket irrespective of connections on trains with checked bags. You can also pack a canoe... There is a summer biketrain trip to the Niagara region.

[Mark Gleeson]

DART frequently is standing room only even at off peak, particularly in the afternoon with schools. Its not black and white time issue

Obviously if the timetable was better and more frequent it might work

[Alan French]

I still think that our authorities are too fond of blanket restrictions, at the expense of customer service. Many British railway companies allow bicycles on trains outside rush hours, and this seems to be the most sensible approach.

The guiding principle should be that customers come with a variety of travelling needs; they are not just standardised entities. Reasonable requirements should be met. Suppose I hadn't a commuter ticket, and I turned up at Bray with a bike for the 23.20 to Connolly (which is always quite empty). Absolutely no one could be inconvenienced by the bike. The company stands to gain my custom. But staff are instructed to apply a blanket ruling, which benefits no one. They are not permitted to have a proper customer focus.

If someone argues, "If you allow one, you'll have to allow them all" - then I say: If numbers remain small, then there's no problem; if the numbers grow, they're on to a winner, and they're dealing with a lucrative market, and then it begins to make sense to make special provisions for bicycles. Remember the vans of the push-pull trains, that could serve as passenger overflow when the train got crowded?

I've just been reading in "Railway Magazine", Dec. 2008, how varied British practice is. On Southern (London-Brighton line and surrounding areas), all bikes (even folding ones) are banned at all times, apparently because of one incident in Brighton. By contrast, Liverpool and Glasgow suburban trains permit them on all trains, even in the rush hours. On balance, I think the best balance would be a rush-hour ban (starting about 15.00 if you want to be on the safe side), but permitted at other times. The passenger would have a legal liability if anyone was injured.

Now, wait till I start a new thread, applying a similar line of reason to the carriage of dogs by train. See how British practise disproves all our reasons why it wouldn't work. But that's another day's work!

[gaiusc]

I travel from Heuston to Sallins in the morning and the train is virtually empty. I return via an evening train which is at 20% capacity (at most).

The tube in London allows bikes outside of peak hours and the trains in Berlin allow bikes when they are not busy (even if it happens to be peak hours).

I asked the train driver yesterday could I bring my bike on and he said yes but other staff said no and cited possible personal injury claims if somebody was to hit a pedal or something.
The train to Newbridge has an area in one carriage with no seats that is ideal for holding a bike.

What a daft country we live in that we lag behind the rest of Europe because of our attitude to litigation. I walk for an hour a day because of this (15 mins each leg).

[al2637]

In contrast you can take a bike on the A'dam metro at any time, including peak. There are special parking areas in each carriage in which the bike is stowed (basically a metal hook you put the weel onto to stop it moving around).. then you go and sit down!

[Colm Moore]

Its just possible that things may improve in the next while. Under the National Cycling Policy, all operators will be obliged to make some provision.

Heuston has a large bike park, I don't know about Sallins.

We are actually well ahead of some European countries that don't allow bikes *at all.*

[James Shields]

I've seen people bring bikes on DART and Commuter trains and get away with it, but it probably depends on what staff are on duty on the day. I suspect the worst thing you could do is ask permission - if you just wheel your bike on and look like you know where you're going, chances are most people will assume you've got permission, but if you look like you've got some doubt, you're just asking for someone to challenge you.

Of course, folding bikes are allowed, so if you want to be sure you won't get stuck, buy one of them.

[plant43]

Originally Posted by gaiusc

The tube in London allows bikes outside of peak hours

Incorrect. They allow foldup bikes on all routes outside of peak hours and no bikes during peak hours. Full size bikes are only allowed outside of peak hours and even then only on the overground section (i.e. not central London)

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11701.aspx

[tiffin]

http://www.irishrail.ie/news_centre/...ew&news_id=987