Bikes on Trains

Does anyone know anything about the Third EU Railway Package going
through Brussels at the moment? Apparently it includes the requirement
to be able to take a bicycle on any train running in the EU. Which
sound like its worth trying to find out who my MEP is and asking him to
do something useful.

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

"Tony Raven" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know anything about the Third EU Railway Package going through
Brussels at the moment? Apparently it includes the requirement to be able
to take a bicycle on any train running in the EU. Which sound like its
worth trying to find out who my MEP is and asking him to do something
useful.


What's the betting that if the exact wording is to take *a* bicycle on any
train.... if the thing is passed, that UK rail companies will take it
literally and allow *a* bicycle per train... not that moi is an old cynic
;-)

Cheers, helen s

On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 06:19:34 +0100, Tony Raven wrote:

Does anyone know anything about the Third EU Railway Package going
through Brussels at the moment? Apparently it includes the requirement
to be able to take a bicycle on any train running in the EU. Which
sound like its worth trying to find out who my MEP is and asking him to
do something useful.

Is this it?

http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/...003/new_en.htm

"wafflycat" waffles*$*A**T*v21net$*££*D*O*T*co*D£$£*O*T*uk wrote in
message ...

"Tony Raven" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know anything about the Third EU Railway Package going
through
Brussels at the moment? Apparently it includes the requirement to be
able
to take a bicycle on any train running in the EU. Which sound like its
worth trying to find out who my MEP is and asking him to do something
useful.


What's the betting that if the exact wording is to take *a* bicycle on any
train.... if the thing is passed, that UK rail companies will take it
literally and allow *a* bicycle per train... not that moi is an old cynic
;-)

What's the betting that critical mass will interpret the wording to include
tandems, recumbents, tagalongs and trailers and promptly swamp a randomly
selected train at a randomly selected station and feign surprise that so
many people with a common interest wanted to go to the same place at the
same time a calim the event a victory for the average cyclist. ;-)

Marc Brett wrote:
On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 06:19:34 +0100, Tony Raven wrote:

Does anyone know anything about the Third EU Railway Package going
through Brussels at the moment? Apparently it includes the requirement
to be able to take a bicycle on any train running in the EU. Which
sound like its worth trying to find out who my MEP is and asking him to
do something useful.

Is this it?

http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/...003/new_en.htm


No its here
http://snipurl.com/ikp4

and the relevant section is Amendment 32 which reads:

"1. By the transport contract the railway undertaking or railway
undertakings shall undertake to transport the passenger as well as hand
luggage and luggage to the place of destination. They shall transport
the bicycle of the passenger in all trains, including transborder and
high speed trains, possibly on payment of a charge. The contract must be
confirmed by one or more tickets issued to the passenger. The tickets
shall be considered prima facie evidence of the conclusion of the contract."
(note Amendments 1 & 2 change it from only International rail passengers
to all rail passengers)

However the rail operators are lobbying against which is why its
important to lobby our MEPs. The Community of European Railway and
Infrastructure Companies put out a press release at the end of September
which says

"There is a lack of reality on some of the amendments, notably the
latest obligation to transport bicycles on all trains."

(Thanks to Custfold on the Brompton list for the information)

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon