Bikes on trains....

Compared to most public transport services, Northern Rail are more progressive in facilitating people to be able to travel on the train with their bicycles.

Northern's website states that the company is "strongly committed to promoting cycling. It is a sustainable and healthy form of transport and complements our train services. It is a key part of our integrated transport approach which is supported by our parent companies Serco and Abellio."

The company's 2010 cycling strategy document recognises some of the peak hour problems:

"Many of our trains consist of only two (or in some cases one) carriages. This can present serious difficulties in accommodating more than two bikes per train unit. In addition, our passenger numbers are growing by about 10% pa, so more trains are crowded. We wish to maintain our current flexible approach which avoids specific bans on rush hour trains and allows bikes to be carried free of charge."

More positively, the cycling strategy committed Northern Rail to the following actions in 2010/11.

"• Ensure that staff, particularly conductors, are fully briefed on Northern’s cycle policy
• Maintain our policy of not charging
• Maintain our policy of no formal peak restrictions
• Maintain our policy of ‘no advance reservations’
• When trains are refurbished we will explore opportunities for improving cycle space, on
the principle of providing flexible space
• Ensure that all the Northern fleet is signed externally and internally showing where bike
space is located
• In any future programme for new designs (e.g. Pacer replacement) we will ensure that
flexible space is maximised."

Unsurprisingly, they are also encouraging people to travel with folding bicycles.

"This is a growing market and we are happy to work with cycling organisations to encourage the use of folding bikes for cycle commuting. They take up minimal space and there are no restrictions on the number carried per train."


Northern Rail are looking to update their Cycling Strategy and the Northern Rail Cycle Forum have requested suggestions for both short and longer term objectives.


If you have any constructive suggestions, please send them to Les Webb, secretary for the  Northern Rail Cycle Forum at   les.webb at sustrans.org.uk  by the end of October.

Perhaps Metrolink would like to talk to their Northern Rail counterparts about how to integrate bicycles into a busy public transport service.....