>> "Vintage" <dontemai...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:477e25d1$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
>>> Well great to see the cut and past job from Connex that didn't address
>>> any
>>> of the concerns I raised with them over the bike ban on trains in peak
>>> hour.

>>> Lets me just say that if its dark in the arvo,  the rain hits hard,  the
>>> roads are REAL nasty I'm telling the wife to get the train still home
>>> with
>>> her bike instead of riding home that night.  We will cop any fine they
>>> want
>>> to throw at us or action taking as its still better than the worst case
>>> scenario of her on the roads in those conditions.   And I trust her
>>> skills
>>> on the road,  its just all the other nuts I don't trust and see daily.

>>> I take it when the new trains are here we are allowed back on?

>>> Here is the response about the bike scapegoat issue we are facing.

>>> "Thank you for your feedback to Metlink regarding bikes on trains.

>>> During the last two years, patronage has increased by 23% on Connex
>>> train
>>> services. Patronage is expected to continue to increase and a number of
>>> steps are being taken to increase the capacity of the train network to
>>> enable more passengers to be carried.

>>> The Victorian government has recently announced an order for 18 new
>>> suburban trains and 22 new V/Locity carriages. However, growing
>>> patronage
>>> has meant that a number of difficult operational decisions were required
>>> to
>>> maximise the number of passengers that can be carried on peak hour
>>> services. It is expected that the removal of bikes from the most
>>> congested
>>> parts of the network during peak hours will enable more passengers to be
>>> carried, providing significant environmental and community benefits.

>>> The restrictions for bikes are highly targeted and only apply to bikes
>>> travelling in the peak direction during peak times. For Connex trains,
>>> the
>>> ban only applies to services within Zone 1. Customers will continue to
>>> be
>>> able to travel at off-peak times and in the counter peak direction
>>> without
>>> restrictions. Similar rules exist in other Australian suburban train
>>> networks, including Brisbane and Perth.

>>> The Victorian Government and the public transport industry strongly
>>> support
>>> the use of public transport in conjunction with cycling and regret the
>>> need
>>> to restrict bikes from peak hour trains. Public transport users are
>>> encouraged to continue to use bikes in conjunction with public transport
>>> by
>>> leaving their bikes at the station at peak times and taking their bikes
>>> on
>>> trains during off-peak times. (who wants to leave a good bike at a
>>> station
>>> all day,  day in day out at the same time each day in most areas?)

>>> Lockers are provided at many Connex and V/Line stations.(Rubbish) Rental
>>> fees for
>>> lockers have been eliminated, with only a refundable deposit now
>>> required.
>>> Fees for the carriage of bikes on public transport have been eliminated.
>>> CCTV coverage at stations reduces the chances of theft. Six carriage
>>> trains
>>> are now operated on the majority of off-peak services, providing more
>>> room
>>> for bikes during the day, at night and on weekends.

>>> The Victorian Government recognises that there is more work to do in
>>> relation to bicycle storage at stations. The Department of
>>> Infrastructure
>>> is working with Connex and Bicycle Victoria to implement a bike cage
>>> storage facility at a suburban station as a trial. If successful(100
>>> bikes
>>> NOT stolen) , more bike
>>> cages are likely to be implemented.

>>> Thank you for raising this matter with the Public Transport Division.

>>> Yours sincerely

>>> Adrian Webb
>>> Victorian Fare Policy Manager

>> What about folding bikes that pack into the size of a suit case are these
>> banned as well ?

>> If not riders that are affected by this might want to think about the
>> folding options.

> I don't know about Victoria, but in Sydney there's no special rule and
> it's pretty much at the discretion of whatever rail staff you happen to
> come across. My husband and I both independantly asked the helpline and
> both times the person who answered had to ask their supervisor and came
> back with the answer that if you can pick it up and carry it, it counts as
> luggage (we didn't point out that you can actually pick up and carry an
> unfolded bike). However, one particular ticket seller insisted on my
> buying an extra ticket for the bike, despite being told this, pretty much
> on the grounds of "a bike's a bike".

> Cheers,
> Liz