Bike ban in Victoria

"PeteSig" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

For those in Victoria, who use the country trains to commute longer
distances, or just travel to the country occasionally, some bad news fro
V-line:

http://www.vline.com.au/home/news/en/20/1123/article.aspx
Bikes

Bicycles can be carried on V/Line train services in off peak periods.

Understanding that there is limited space on peak hour trains, bicycles will
not be permitted on peak hour train services.

We advise that even on off peak train services there is limited space for
bicycles.

Bicycles are generally not permitted on V/Line coach services.

Apparently it is being introduced on the Connex metropolitan services also,
for Zone 1.

In this era of climate change action, how emminently stupid!!

Beyond that! I believe and expect this can be battled, lobbied and defeated fairly
easily. Can somebody post a list of names, positions and their address for
decision makers behind this. Start with ministers. Hassle. Is Bicycle Victoria
on the case? Announcements just prior to Xmas can be smashed easily.

Tomasso.

Quoted message said:

--
Cheers
Peter

~~~ ~ _@
~~ ~ _- \,
~~ (*)/ (*)

Tomasso said:

Can somebody post a list of names, positions and their address for decision makers behind this. Start with ministers. Hassle. Is Bicycle Victoria on the case? Announcements just prior to Xmas can be smashed easily.

Classic drop the dead donkey time. Announce it as a fait accompli, while everyone is on hols or dealing with holiday timetables or couldn't give a FF.

Transport Minister (even though she didn't want the portfolio)
Lynne Kosky, MP
PO Box 1047
Altona Meadows VIC 3028
Ph (03) 9360 7500
Fax (03) 9360 7654
Email: lynne.koskyATparliament.vic.gov.au

Road Minister (for good measure)
Hon. Tim Pallas, MP
Minister for Roads and Ports
Department of Infrastructure
Level 16/121 Exhibition Street,
Melbourne Vic 3000
Phone: 03 9655 6210
Fax: 03 9655 6651
Email: tim.pallasATparliament.vic.gov.au

Bicycle Victoria
PO Box 426
Collins St West, Victoria, 8007
Situated at Level 10 / 446 Collins Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone/fax
Ph (03) 8636 8888
Fax (03) 8636 8800
Freecall 1800 639 634 (country callers)
Email: bicyclevicATbv.com.au

Connex
GPO Box 5092BB
Melbourne VIC 3001
Ph: 1 800 800 705
7 days a week, 6am - 10pm
Online contact form:
http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/index.php?id=72#feedback

Public Transport Ombudsman (Victoria)
PO Box 538
Collins Street West VIC 8007
1800 466 865 or 8623 2111
(8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday)
TTY: 1800 809 623
Fax: 8623 2100
Email: enquiriesATptovic.com.au
www.ptovic.com.au

V/Line
Customer Relations,
Reply Paid 5343,
Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone: 1800 800 120
TTY (03) 9619 2727 available 7 days
Online contact form:
http://www.vline.com.au/about/feedback/en/2/frontFeedbackpage.aspx

Department of Infrastructure
GPO Box 2797
Melbourne Vic 3001
Tel. (03) 9655 6666
Fax. (03) 9655 6752

Public transport contacts; This page lists contact details for inquiries and feedback about public transport.
http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/internet/transport.nsf/AllDocs/7C1C6103FB43C1FA4A256863002205BE?OpenDocument

PTUA
Ross House
247 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 7898
Fax: (03) 9650 3689
Email: officeATptua.org.au
www.ptua.org.au

In aus.bicycle on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:54:28 +1100

cfsmtb said:

Tomasso said:

Can somebody post a list of names, positions and their address for
decision makers behind this. Start with ministers. Hassle. Is Bicycle
Victoria on the case? Announcements just prior to Xmas can be smashed
easily.

Classic drop the dead donkey time. Announce it as a fait accompli,
while everyone is on hols or dealing with holiday timetables or couldn't
give a FF.

Give them an alternative. Don't know what the procedure was before,
in Sydney bikes are charged child fare if they travel in "peak times":

"Bicycles are permitted on trains free of charge on the weekend and in
off-peak periods. However, if part or all of your journey is made
between 6.00am - 9.00am or between 3.30pm to 7.30pm on weekdays you
must purchase a child ticket for the bicycle as well as a ticket for
yourself."

If bikes were free before then say banning them is silly but cyclists
are happy to contribute to the costs.

If they wern't free before, then I suspect you are going to be pushing
[censored] uphill because of the crowding in Vic trains. Perhaps try the
idea of only banned on the last 3 stops into the city?

Zebee

PeteSig said:

For those in Victoria, who use the country trains to commute longer
distances, or just travel to the country occasionally, some bad news fro
V-line:

http://www.vline.com.au/home/news/en/20/1123/article.aspx
Bikes

Bicycles can be carried on V/Line train services in off peak periods.

Understanding that there is limited space on peak hour trains, bicycles will
not be permitted on peak hour train services.

We advise that even on off peak train services there is limited space for
bicycles.

Bicycles are generally not permitted on V/Line coach services.

Apparently it is being introduced on the Connex metropolitan services also,
for Zone 1.

In this era of climate change action, how emminently stupid!!

Good Morning Mr Sig,
Totally barmy. I've travelled V/Line with my bike for 30 years and
though there have been ups and downs, this is the stupidest thing yet
encountered. You want to stage a mock funeral outside Parliament House?
For the death of cycle-touring, I'll join you for that one.
So I've also been banned from taking my bike on the train into the city?
I think a number of people will have something to say about that.
Cheers,
Ray

Ta. Time to get busy.

Any bike friendly journos in Victoria? [No, I didn't think so... ...well, maybe].

Tomasso.

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tomasso said:

Can somebody post a list of names, positions and their address for
decision makers behind this. Start with ministers. Hassle. Is Bicycle
Victoria on the case? Announcements just prior to Xmas can be smashed
easily.

Classic drop the dead donkey time. Announce it as a fait accompli,
while everyone is on hols or dealing with holiday timetables or couldn't
give a FF.

Transport Minister (even though she didn't want the portfolio)
Lynne Kosky, MP
PO Box 1047
Altona Meadows VIC 3028
Ph (03) 9360 7500
Fax (03) 9360 7654
Email: lynne.koskyATparliament.vic.gov.au

Road Minister (for good measure)
Hon. Tim Pallas, MP
Minister for Roads and Ports
Department of Infrastructure
Level 16/121 Exhibition Street,
Melbourne Vic 3000
Phone: 03 9655 6210
Fax: 03 9655 6651
Email: tim.pallasATparliament.vic.gov.au

Bicycle Victoria
PO Box 426
Collins St West, Victoria, 8007
Situated at Level 10 / 446 Collins Street,
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Phone/fax
Ph (03) 8636 8888
Fax (03) 8636 8800
Freecall 1800 639 634 (country callers)
Email: bicyclevicATbv.com.au

Connex
GPO Box 5092BB
Melbourne VIC 3001
Ph: 1 800 800 705
7 days a week, 6am - 10pm
Online contact form:
http://www.connexmelbourne.com.au/index.php?id=72#feedback

Public Transport Ombudsman (Victoria)
PO Box 538
Collins Street West VIC 8007
1800 466 865 or 8623 2111
(8.30am-5pm Monday-Friday)
TTY: 1800 809 623
Fax: 8623 2100
Email: enquiriesATptovic.com.au
www.ptovic.com.au

V/Line
Customer Relations,
Reply Paid 5343,
Melbourne VIC 3001
Phone: 1800 800 120
TTY (03) 9619 2727 available 7 days
Online contact form:
http://www.vline.com.au/about/feedback/en/2/frontFeedbackpage.aspx

Department of Infrastructure
GPO Box 2797
Melbourne Vic 3001
Tel. (03) 9655 6666
Fax. (03) 9655 6752

Public transport contacts; This page lists contact details for
inquiries and feedback about public transport.
http://tinyurl.com/yvv8qc

PTUA
Ross House
247 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 7898
Fax: (03) 9650 3689
Email: officeATptua.org.au
www.ptua.org.au

--
cfsmtb

PeteSig said:

For those in Victoria, who use the country trains to commute longer
distances, or just travel to the country occasionally, some bad news
fro V-line:

http://www.vline.com.au/home/news/en/20/1123/article.aspx
Bikes

Bicycles can be carried on V/Line train services in off peak periods.

Understanding that there is limited space on peak hour trains,
bicycles will not be permitted on peak hour train services.

We advise that even on off peak train services there is limited space
for bicycles.

Bicycles are generally not permitted on V/Line coach services.

Apparently it is being introduced on the Connex metropolitan services
also, for Zone 1.

In this era of climate change action, how emminently stupid!!

Never mind climate change, are they going to apply those rules to prams and
wheelchairs as well?

Theo

Tomasso said:

Ta. Time to get busy.

Any bike friendly journos in Victoria? [No, I didn't think so... ...well, maybe].

Already a Facebook group - Screw Connex and their ban on bike's. Plenty of discussion elsewhere on the BV forums, CM-Melb and Melbourne Cyclist.

There's rumours/noises that BV didn't oppose the ban, this is yet to be confirmed or denied. I asked a PTUA contact yesterday about this issue, they've confirmed what was said to me in todays Herald-Sun (20/12) - they oppose the ban. Read page 8.

Interesting, a PT lobby group oppose the ban, but Victoria largest bicycle group didn't (at this point)

Zebee Johnstone said:

Give them an alternative. Don't know what the procedure was before,
in Sydney bikes are charged child fare if they travel in "peak times":

"Bicycles are permitted on trains free of charge on the weekend and in
off-peak periods. However, if part or all of your journey is made
between 6.00am - 9.00am or between 3.30pm to 7.30pm on weekdays you
must purchase a child ticket for the bicycle as well as a ticket for
yourself."

And that gets my goat as well. To travel on a train (interurban) with
my bike, I need to squeeze it into the end of a carriage. If bogans
haven't already crowded in there for a durrie. This area isn't wide
enough to park my bike against a wall or door, it has to be diagonal.
On most carriages, only one end has even that much space. They do have
hangers, in some carriages... which are fine if you don't mind having
the inter carriage doors being slammed into your pride and joy on a
regular basis as passengers wander through.

Doors open on different sides, so if you rest your bike against a
door, you have to leap up and shift it every so often (OK, I only have
this problem for one station, then it's consistent). But you can't
leave your bike anyway - the trains rock enough for bikes to fall
over, or your bike could leave with someone else. >:^( You can't lock
it it in place because of the need to keep moving it.

So, I stand the entire trip, politely shifting my bike to assist other
passengers, and they expect me to pay extra? They don't charge extra
for a pram. They don't charge extra for huge travel bags. They don't
charge extra for other luggage. Why bikes? I guess I wouldn't mind
paying if they actually provided a service that allowed for bikes, but
they don't. A ticket should entitle me to that.

</end rant>

Tony F

From todays Herald Sun:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22951417-2862,00.html

Quoted post said:

On V/Line trains, bikes will be banned at peak hour from January 1 because of patronage growth.

"We need to make as much space as possible available for people," V/Line spokesman Daniel Moloney said.

But the Public Transport Users Association slammed the move.

"Bikes should be part of the solution to our public transport problems," president Daniel Bowen said.

thefathippy said:

So, I stand the entire trip, politely shifting my bike to assist other
passengers, and they expect me to pay extra? They don't charge extra
for a pram. They don't charge extra for huge travel bags. They don't
charge extra for other luggage. Why bikes? I guess I wouldn't mind
paying if they actually provided a service that allowed for bikes, but
they don't. A ticket should entitle me to that.

Cityrail here in sydney has a little loophole, normally they allow bikes
allround, but during peak hour, you need to purchase a child ticket for your
bike as well.

Unless it's in a bike bag, in which case it's luggage, so they don't charge
you anything. I suppose this is only viable if you have a fold-up bike though.
Just goes to show, they appear to hate cyclists more than the morons who are
happy to cart around their 40Kg luggage from the airport.

--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>

On Dec 20, 8:20 am, cfsmtb <cfsmtb.31v...@no-

mx.forums.cyclingforums.com said:

Quoted message said:

"Bikes should be part of the solution to our public transport
problems," president Daniel Bowen said.

Daniel Bowen eh? I used to read his "Toxic Custard Workshop Files" (or
whatever it was called) emails when I was in university, waaay back
before the days of the world wide wibble. His world history series was
very entertaining, it's worth a read if you can find it.

Graeme

John Tserkezis said:

Unless it's in a bike bag, in which case it's luggage, so they don't charge
you anything.

I wonder how much of your bike you need to have enclosed in a token
"bag" in order for it to class as luggage?

"It's not a bike, it's a suitcase with wheels! I use it to carry...
bike parts!"

tim

In aus.bicycle on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:50:08 -0800 (PST)

tim said:

John Tserkezis said:

Unless it's in a bike bag, in which case it's luggage, so they don't charge
you anything.

I wonder how much of your bike you need to have enclosed in a token
"bag" in order for it to class as luggage?

They specifically say it applies to folding bicycles. I have heard
from various people, none of whom work for Cityrail, that even a
folder in a bag on your lap has to be paid for.

Zebee

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tomasso said:

Ta. Time to get busy.

Any bike friendly journos in Victoria? [No, I didn't think so...
...well, maybe].

Already a Facebook group - Screw Connex and their ban on bike's. Plenty
of discussion elsewhere on the BV forums, CM-Melb and Melbourne Cyclist.

There's rumours/noises that BV didn't oppose the ban, this is yet to be
confirmed or denied. I asked a PTUA contact yesterday about this issue,
they've confirmed what was said to me in todays Herald-Sun (20/12) -
they oppose the ban. Read page 8.

Interesting, a PT lobby group oppose the ban, but Victoria largest
bicycle group didn't (at this point)

Is Dutchy still resident at BV?

tim said:

I wonder how much of your bike you need to have enclosed in a token
"bag" in order for it to class as luggage?

As long as the people who work there can't tell the difference, (and while
some have a brain, lots don't).

Quoted message said:

"It's not a bike, it's a suitcase with wheels! I use it to carry...
bike parts!"

:-) It's all in the definition of the classification.

<rant>
Interesting part, is that they don't appear to be too concerned about
scooters, nor the ones who carry home new TV antennas in their boxes. These
things are so long you need to fit them in diagonally through the doors to
make it fit.
All "luggage", even though a bike takes up less room.

Also no mention of the sneezing ones who spread their good charm around in
crowed trains.
Neither of the one that I had seen tear off the "no alcohol" sticker, then
proceed to pull out a beer and drink it.
Nor the one who insisted on conversing with the person next to him- VERY
LOUDLY. And thought that f*ucking football would be a good subject instead of
the weather. Interesting that person next to him wasn't interested either.
Of course, I can't forget the high school formalers coming home (while I was
going to work in the morning), who had the collective IQ of a box of
handlebars. I had to change carriages to prevent my own IQ from dropping.
</rant>
--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>

Zebee Johnstone said:

They specifically say it applies to folding bicycles. I have heard
from various people, none of whom work for Cityrail, that even a
folder in a bag on your lap has to be paid for.

So all those times (years?) I was going to work with a backpack (sometimes
two bags) I was technically travelling short of a ticket for my bag(s).

[censored] 'em. If they can't be reasonable, neither can I.
--
Linux Registered User # 302622
<http://counter.li.org>

Graeme Dods said:

Daniel Bowen eh? I used to read his "Toxic Custard Workshop Files" (or
whatever it was called) emails when I was in university, waaay back
before the days of the world wide wibble. His world history series was
very entertaining, it's worth a read if you can find it.

Same chap. had a blog when the term haven't even been coined. 😉

cfsmtb said:

There's rumours/noises that BV didn't oppose the ban

Bollox. Ain't fourth hand info grand? 🙄
So unusual for the PTUA to swallow V-Line's, err, line 😉

We knew nothing of the V-Line ban.

There had been discussions that bikes may be banned in Zone 1, peak direction during peak-hour on metro trains, Although timings were not given for this introduction it was a mute point as trying to get oneself and a cut lunch on said trains is near impossible, let alone with bike/pram/shrubbery/etc

Holland, Germany and many other Euro countries have had similar rules in place for a few years (some many years...) and provide good parking at stations.
Longer term that is a more practical solution. refer Eltham and Sth Geelong Bike parking cage trials on BV website.
bv.com.au12251Open ↗

flyingdutch said:

Bollox. Ain't fourth hand info grand? 🙄
So unusual for the PTUA to swallow V-Line's, err, line 😉

We knew nothing of the V-Line ban.

Well if that's been cleared up, please inform the BV forum first:
http://www.bv.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7616