Get on board

IT IS all very well trying to be green and taking your bike on the train, but as many cyclists know the reality is not so straightforward.

An inflexible reservation system, awkward cycle racks and over-zealous guards can turn what should be a straightforward run into the commute from hell.

But this could be about to change. The national cycling organisation CTC has launched an online campaign to influence the Government's White Paper, which will outline plans for the railway over the next 30 years.

The group believes improved cycle access, cycle parking, and more information for cyclist are just a few of the things cyclists deserve.

"The bike and train are a marriage made in heaven - the bike delivers door to door convenience," said David Holladay, public transport officer at the CTC.

Jon Snow, the organisation's president agrees.

"Cycling and rail travel are perfect partners," he said.

"The combination provides a doorstep-to-destination option for longer-distance journeys which might otherwise be possible only by car. It is also a really simple way to set about tackling a whole range of problems all on one go: obesity, air pollution, congestion and climate change, to name but a few."

Any cyclist wishing to take part should go to www.ctc.org.uk/cyclerail, type in their postcode, enter the changes they would like to happen, and then the system will automatically send their message to their local MP. The whole process should only take two minutes.

Many cyclist commuters report that they are enduring nightmare journeys.

Michael Cowling is a commuter-cyclist who travels every day from Scarborough to York. "It is very difficult," he said. "There are lots of problems with the provision for cycles.

"You have to book a place but this isn't always possible, especially as I can't specify when I will finish work."

Rob Patrick commutes from the outskirts of Leeds every day.

"The reservation process is inconvenient and inflexible," he said. "As a regular commuter, I am forced to book bike reservations on specific trains in advance, but given the nature of my job this means that on some occasions I am unable to use these bookings."

Mr Patrick said he was not aware of being able to cancel a bike reservation.

"This means that booked places can go empty and cyclists who have made a reservation but who miss their train can be left stranded at the station because of over-zealous guards," he said.

He claims to have been kicked off two trains on occasions when he had a reservation for an earlier train that he had missed and was the only person with a bike.

"I've had both monthly and annual rail tickets, but there is no way to book a bike reservation in the same way," he added.

When he emailed train operator GNER, Mr Patrick was told it was not possible to buy a monthly rail bike ticket.

The inflexibility of the reservation system seems to be a major obstacle for anyone wishing to commute by cycle and rail.

A spokesman for rival operator Virgin Trains said cyclists must make a reservation before 6pm on the day before travel, specifying which train they want to take: "If people turn up expecting to travel with their bike without a reservation they will have to leave their bike at home because there could be somebody else further down the route with a reservation."

That is easy in theory, but the strict reservation system does not allow for delays, missing trains or working late, all of which affect most people at some point.

Andy D'Agorne, Green councillor for Fishergate, York, cycles 40 miles a week.

"If more people are to use public transport then public transport has to be more flexible and make it easier for cyclists to take their bikes on a train - otherwise people will resort to using a car," he said.

"If you have a five-mile journey after getting off the train and you can use your bike, then the journey is quite straightforward. But if you can't take you bike on the train, the journey is much longer. People will use a car instead."

Despite the campaign, things probably won't change in the short term.

Virgin said it is unlikely to change its policy of making reservations before 6pm the day prior to travel.

"There is an arrangement whereby you can book it 30 minutes before travel, though it wouldn't necessarily guarantee you a space," it said.

"This is not what we want people to do.

"If people turn up expecting to travel with their bike without a reservation, they will have to leave their bike at home because there could be somebody else further down the route with a reservation."

However, the company claims to be a green train operator, despite only having space for only four bikes. "We are extremely green in what we do; we do have arrangements for bicycles to be kept at stations."

David Ewart, communications manager at Virgin Trains, said there was no scope for expansion.

"We have adequate cycle space. We have to strike a balance with space for cycles, wheelchairs and luggage," he said. "We believe we have got the proportion right and we are able to help a lot of cyclists."

A spokesman for GNER said: "We provide a service for cyclists, which includes thousands of cycle racks at our stations and space for five cycles on each train, for which there is no charge."

Rachel's journey...

I COMMUTE between Sheffield and York by rail and bike every day and taking my bike on the train cuts my journey by 70 minutes.

That's the theory, anyway. The reality is quite different, not least because of the rigid booking system.

To get a ticket for your bike, you have to book before 6pm the night before or, in an emergency, 30 minutes before, although this depends on what other reservations have been made.

There are times, however, when retaining a reservation on a specific train isn't easy. Life isn't always predictable. And what happens if you are delayed or miss your pre-booked train?

Train managers can act within their discretion and permit you to travel with a bike without a reservation, and most are supportive and helpful.

But it only takes a stringent manager to add hours on to your commute.

Cyclists shouldn't have to make this gamble just because they haven't had a chance to book a reservation, especially when there is space to accommodate bikes.

Often the cycle storage in trains is impractical; on Virgin trains bikes are hung from the ceiling. You have to lift your bike up (not easy) and hook it on.

Recently my train was delayed by 40 minutes. When the train arrived, I was among the last of the people to attempt to board it and at the wrong end for the cycle carriage.

I ran along the length of the train with my bike and finally reached the correct carriage when the dispatch worker at York station, who, seeing that I was inches away from the train on the platform, blew the whistle.

"It was delayed anyway so we couldn't wait any longer," she told me.

"Tell me about it," I thought, since I had been sitting there for the entire time waiting.

Unperturbed, I knew another train was leaving for Sheffield from a platform at the other side of the station. I ran to the train with my bike, only for the same thing to happen again. I was inches away from boarding the train and the dispatch worker blew the whistle.

This time, I burst into tears. This is what public transport does to you - it makes you a desperate, pathetic, gibbering wreck. I didn't get home until 9pm, two hours and 15 minutes late.

Passengers should not be penalised for having a bike. GNER says you should make the dispatch worker aware that you are boarding a train, but if you are dashing to catch it, it is hardly a priority.

The height of my bike-train troubles was being refused entrance by a manager who, blocking the doorway, said the cycle spaces were "full." I could not see a single bike.

I would have understood it if he had explained there were reservations made (information that he has access to), but he didn't provide me with any information. I was only travelling two stops and I have never seen more than two bikes board the train between York and Sheffield.

I burst into tears again.

You can buy your rail ticket on the train if you are too late to visit the ticket office, so why should cyclists be treated any differently?

If Britain is geared to reducing its carbon footprint, then our public transport ought to embrace cyclists travelling by rail by permitting cycles on the train, wherever possible.

What the CTC wants...

THE CTC policy advocates the provision of at least four cycle spaces on existing trains and six spaces on all new or refurbished trains, plus extra cycle storage depending on the number of seats on the train.

The CTC wants one cycle space for every additional 30 seats after the first 100 on existing trains, or one space for every 24 seats over the first 100 on a new or refurbished train.

It also wants:

* Improved cycle access in stations, including wheeling ramps on steps.

* Secure, clearly signed and conveniently-located cycle parking in stations.

* Cycle carriages in accordance with its policy, outlined above Improved cycle reservation facilities.

* Information about facilities, restrictions and charges for cyclists and signage indicating where cyclists should stand on the platforms.

* A rail forum, bringing together cyclists, interested parties and local authorities.