TRAINS AND CYCLES

(For comments on Cambridge, please contact www.flua.org.uk)

To the station

Our vision is of welcoming stations.............approached by attractive, secure cycling, walking and wheelchair routes. That vision informs our responses to all planning and railway consultations and documents.

Ely, March, Norwich, Peterborough, Thetford and Whittlesea stations have links to the National Cycle Network www.sustrans.org.uk . Peterborough has an extensive network of cycleways. Thetford has some and Norwich has secured funding to create or improve some key routes.

There is a need to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users along the B1101 in March Station Road and along Silfield and Station Roads in Wymondham should hundreds of extra houses be built in Silfield.

Cycle parking

We have always argued that cycle parking near stations should be covered and secure. Years ago, we secured funding for the lockers at Thetford and for Wymondham’s first modern “bike shed”. Local cyclists clearly prefer “stands” to “toast-rack” parking. Growing demand means that we now need more covered and secure parking at both Ely and March stations, so we warmly welcome plans to provide it.

We should like to see covered and secure parking at Attleborough, Brandon and Whittlesea. Good parking can allow frequent travellers to use a cycle at both ends of their train journey.

Cycle hire

To complete your journey, you can now hire cycles from Norwich and Peterborough stations. We welcome plans to provide similar facilities at Ely.

There is a cycle hire business at High Lodge, which might be able to deliver cycles to Thetford station, if booked in advance. The A1065 through Brandon is not a suitable route for inexperienced cyclists or people on unfamiliar machines.

Folding cycles

Folded cycles are welcomed without restriction on almost all trains and on many buses if they can be safely stored in luggage spaces. They offer a flexible means of personal travel and give public transport its “final mile” capability.

Non-folding cycles

To take a non-folding cycle on trains from Peterborough to Edinburgh and Leeds or fast to London, you need to reserve a space in advance. If a space is available, you can reserve it up to ten minutes before departure.

These arrangements seem to offer flexibility to the responsible cyclist while protecting other passengers.

We should like to see a “reservations only” policy for non-folding cycles and late bookings facility on trains between Birmingham and Stansted Airport and between Liverpool and Norwich.

October 2013