[publictransport] examples of overseas best practice

Mon Jan 7 12:23:47 EST 2008

Hi Allan , all

Allan great to see your letter too, that is an important aspect.  To widen
the reach of feeder stations will certainly add to operators revenues. I am
concerned though that they have NO plan to accommodate any increased
patronage and this rather draconian “ban” isn’t going to alleviate their
problems at all. They also , as you point out have made no effort to
accommodate those in necessitous circumstances seriously affected by this
ban. ( Not needing the ban anyway if they were efficiently operating the
system is the real story)

The Cages BV are proposing are also limited in bike storage security and I
doubt they will encourage many to leave bikes in them as all bikes are
accessible to anyone with access to the cage so theft, pilfering and damage
will continue. BV rally have given their project a lot of thought!

I have also written to the DOI and the Minister and now to Connex requesting
they look at changing the seating patterns on all urban commuter rolling
stock to longitudinal seats as used in the Metros of New York, Tokyo and
Hong Kong etc. This has proven to reduce dwell time at stations, improve
ingress/egress to carriages and reduce passenger discomfort from small
crammed seating configurations as we have at the moment (and appear to be
getting in the future in planned new stock)… so no aforethought is being
given by Connex or the DOI to improving services, capability or operational
efficiency, just blaming a valuable membership of our community for their
ills and banning them.

Fight on people and continue to contribute , we need your input, our
community needs your involvement the Government needs reminding they are
there for the community not the operator’s convenience.

Cheers all.

Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: publictransport-bounces at yarrabug.org
[mailto:publictransport-bounces at yarrabug.org]On Behalf Of Labyrinth
Sent: Monday, 7 January 2008 11:54 AM
To: Public transport access for all users
Subject: Re: [publictransport] examples of overseas best practice

Hi Rob,

Below  my letter to the Business Age.
Note that the Dutch system is much more complex than the simple references
below  and very few cycling organisations
know anything about it.

Bye Alan
---------------------------------------------

 Dear Sir,

Train stations with  secure bicycle parking are needed in outer suburbia

By banning bikes on peak hour commuter trains before there are enough theft
proof bicycle parking spaces at stations Connex is encouraging cyclists to
go to work by car and failing to increase patronage in many outer suburbs
where rail stations are too far away to walk, too insecure to park a car and
have no convenient feeder bus services. The real problem for Connex is not
the few cyclists who put their bikes on trains but the much greater number
of cyclists who are choosing to drive because their is no secure bicycle
parking at all at unstaffed stations and not enough parking spaces at
staffed stations. The problem for the state government is that these long
car commutes by cyclists are a major source of road congestion.

One solution is based on science. Riding a bike uses the ergonomic advantage
of pedaling over walking to go 3.5 times as far (2 to 4 km) for the same
physical effort as walking. It increases the catchment area of many stations
five fold because 70% of potential rail users are within easy cycling
distance but only only 12 % are within easy walking distance. If there was
secure bicycle parking at all rail stations and the rail system was extended
into outer urban areas the potential of the existing rail system in
Melbourne could be extended by 50,000 bike rail commuters or more. Indeed,
if a bicycle is used at both ends of a rail trip, as happens with 25% of the
bike/rail commutes in the Netherlands, the rail system would not only
provide convenient access to the CBD but  to most  destinations within easy
cycling distance of all rail lines.

In the Netherlands only folded bicycles with smaller wheels, that take up
little space, can be taken on with the flow peak hour trains for free; a
system that is appropriate for  Melbourne.  The integration of bicycles and
the public transport system has the potential greatly reduce carbon dioxide
emissions, air pollution and road congestion but neither the Public
Transport Division of DoI or Connex has any coherent plan to realize these
benefits.

Alan A. Parker

On 05/01/2008, at 10:42 PM, Rob Eke wrote:

In my discussion with DOI they let slip they do not want “discretion” to be
a factor ( on V-Line trains), claiming that the cyclists has to have
certainty they will get their bike carried, so they “feel” certainty is
provided by a “Ban”.. great thinking and tells you what they want.. in spite
of the motherhood rhetoric about encouraging bicycling in the community ( on
paths) it is clear their view is slanted towards bikes off trains, buses and
trams for good and certainly confined to paths if they can, meaning off
roads too if they can get away with it…

This is a clear thin edge of the wedge attack and has serious implications
for cycling as a normal transport option and a normal community activity…and
Bicycle Victoria has laid down with it…they need condemning by mass member
resignations and serious public outcry… you don’t need them anyway you can
get your riding insurance cheaper now through Cyclo Sportif Cycling Club at
Cyclesports Victoria for $45 a year.( see
http://www.cyclosportifvic.com.au/page/news.html )

So this needs to be a multifaceted campaign with a variety of outcomes
determined by priority in an ordered and logical fashion. Some vital aspects
could be:-

1.      Minister revoke this absurd ban to provide access for those in
necessity ( riders use their discretion, not the system operator)
2.      This government act to proscribe cycling as a normal transport
option and a fundamental part of the transport system & integrated into
mainstream.
3.      Bicycle Victoria be reminded in no uncertain terms it must act for
its member base and not it’s private internal clique of business partners
and commercial interests and forgetting its core reason for being, providing
member services. ( see its 2007 annual report and financial statement and
you will see the mess it got itself into in 2007, it needs a shake up
starting with its key officers, as much of its good work in the past has
been shattered by its absurd current politics.)
4.      a proactive plan for a multifaceted campaign to ensure cycling
remains a mainstream, normal community transport option and a valuable
necessary health and environmentally friendly activity and is not maligned
or marginalised by Government Policy and Commercial practices and media
interests.
5.      some might say free public transport too, that would certainly
remove one major headache , Connex, and save the State $500M on myki…. It
has merit

cheers

Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: publictransport-bounces at yarrabug.org [
mailto:publictransport-bounces at yarrabug.org]On Behalf Of Nicholas Dow
Sent: Saturday, 5 January 2008 9:52 PM
To: publictransport at yarrabug.org <mailto:publictransport at yarrabug.org>
Subject: [publictransport] examples of overseas best practice

Alex was kind enough to refer me to:
http://trimet.org/howtoride/bikes/bikesonmax.htm
example of bike racks on rail vehicles in Portland, Oregon, USA.

http://www.bvg.de/index.php/en/Bvg/Detail/folder/759/id/2909/nb/1/name/Accom
panying+persons%2C+etc.+%26+conditions+of+carriage
has details of Berlin.  Note those "rule-bound" Germans allow discretion!!!
Bicycles

Passengers can travel with their bicycles on the S-Bahn (urban railway) and
U-Bahn (underground railway) lines, on regional rail transport and on trams
in the designated carriages, provided there is sufficient space (if
necessary, the personnel will decide).

  _____

Nik Dow
NIKDOW P/L
Support: 1300 645 369

trading as CBDWeb
Office: 03 9650 0136

6/165 Flinders Lane
mobile: 0412 703 483
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nik at nikdow.net <mailto:nik at nikdow.net>
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www.nikdow.net <http://www.nikdow.net/>
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