United Kingdom – November 2016
Each year in England, 50 million journeys are made by bike and train combined.
A comprehensive new guide to encourage many more people to ride bicycles to and from the station as part of their regular commuting journey has been published by the UK’s Cycle Rail Working Group, which reports to the Department for Transport.
Presented earlier this year at the CONEBI General Assembly, the updated guide -titled “Cycle Rail Toolkit 2”- is aimed primarily at the operators of trains and stations.
The Toolkit is divided into 10 sections, which follow the sequence of the trip to the station, followed by entry to – and movement within – it. Every section contains case study examples, and a large selection of illustrations. The guide is clear and concise, and sets out what does not work as well as what does
With over 2.5 million passengers a day on UK trains, the issue of cycle carriage is potentially controversial.The Toolkit describes some basic principles, covering bicycles, pushchairs, and general luggage.
Of particular relevance to an international audience are the sections on cycle parking, cycle hire and cycle security.There is also an Appendix specifically on wider counter-terrorism security considerations.
While much of the information in this guide may be familiar to many in the rail industry, it does provide some useful check lists and acts as an aide memoire for ensuring that the needs of cyclists, and the potential for growth in cycle/rail trips, are met at every stage of the journey.
First published in 2012, this new edition also includes examples of lessons learned from train operators in other European countries, notably the Netherlands and Belgium.
The Toolkit is free to download at:
http://www.raildeliverygroup.com/files/Publication/2016-04_ cycle_rail_toolkit_2.pdf
