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Cambridge is set to be the next city to get Dutch-style segregated cycle lanes, now that a public consultation has shown widespread support for the scheme.
Over 70% of people responding to the consultation backed the plans – despite controversy over a new bus-stop design proposed as part of the plans. If Cambridgeshire County Council signs off on the design later this month, the new cycleways should be open in April 2015.
The protected lanes on Huntingdon Road and Hills Road will have ‘floating bus-stops’, where pedestrians cross the cycle track to board the bus. Although criticised by the local bus company Stagecoach Cambridgeshire, they were widely supported by cyclists who welcomed the continuity of the cycle path. 60% of respondents supported the bus-stop design on Huntingdon Road, and 58% on Hills Road. However, when only the views of those living in neighbouring streets were taken into account, the results were more evenly split.
Cambridgeshire County Council says it intends to use a solid kerb to separate cars and cyclists at the western end of Huntingdon Road. However, on Hills Road and at the city end of Huntingdon Road, the cycle path will be raised above the carriageway level but with no formal barrier – a similar design to that used on Old Shoreham Road in Brighton. This would allow ambulances and other emergency vehicles to drive in the cycle path if the road is obstructed.
Mike Davies from the County Council told the Cambridge News: “This is part of the council’s commitment to provide better cycling facilities to encourage more people to get on their bikes, whilst also maintaining traffic flow and maintaining pedestrian safety.”
The fascinating National Cycle Museum in Llandrindod Wells is holding a rare sale of surplus parts and accessories – a cycle jumble of parts ancient and modern. The mid-Wales museum will be opening specially on Saturday for the event, on 24th May from 11am.
For the frequent train traveller, a folding bike is the ultimate companion. You can take it anywhere: no booking, no peak restrictions. Just fold it up and put it into the luggage rack.
The Brompton is the weapon of choice for thousands of commuters. Its 16-inch wheels and ingenious hinges make it a smaller, faster fold than almost anything else. For the commuter who wants to take a folding bike on the train, Bromptons are unchallenged. They’re not cheap, but few bikes are better suited to train travel.
Many London commuter railways prefer you to fold your bike before you get onto the platform. (One, C2C, officially requires that it’s placed in a ‘protective carrying case’.)
But the 16-inch wheels are too small for touring or off-road adventures. If you use the train as an aid to touring, look for a bike with 20-inch wheels. These will provide a faster, more enjoyable ride on country lanes, while being just small enough to be carried on the train. Network Rail’s cycle guidelines say “fully folded cycles, with wheels up to a size of 20 inches in diameter, are carried without restriction on all trains”.
Strictly speaking, folding bikes are classed as luggage. The official rules (the Conditions of Carriage) say “not exceeding 30 x 70 x 90 cm in size”. This covers most 20in folding bikes, though you might need to take the front wheel off. We’d recommend getting a bike bag, such as the Tern/Dahon CarryOn Cover, to help convince sceptical guards that you’re just carrying luggage.
Folding bikes are available with 24-inch wheels, too. These can provide a near-road bike experience, but check the folded dimensions carefully before buying one for train travel. Be wary of cheap folders from Argos and friends, which are invariably a false economy.
Loading your bike onto a Eurostar, then cycling off from Paris or Brussels, is a seductive proposition. It’s also one fraught with confusion – with four different ways to get your bike aboard. Here’s our guide to make it simple.
As on domestic trains, folding bikes are carried free, without booking.
They have to be carried in a bag, and the maximum length is 85cm. (There’s no other maximum dimension, as long as they’re not taller/wider than 85cm!)
This covers most folding bikes with 20-inch wheels, such as Bike Fridays and many Dahons/Terns, as well as 16-inchers like Bromptons. 24-inch bikes are less likely to fit (a Tern Eclipse, for example, folds to 89cm) though you might get away with it.
If your bike is close to the maximum size, then a lightweight cover such as the Dahon/Tern CarryOn can be easily squished to shape. The cover folds up into a saddlebag for when you’re riding. We think a 20-inch folder in one of these covers is pretty much the ultimate Eurostar bike.
For full-sized bikes, the simplest solution is book in advance and pay an extra fee for Eurostar’s Bike Transfer service. Your bike will travel in the hold on the same train as you (assuming there’s space). The fee starts at £35 and goes up closer to the departure of the train, so book as far in advance as you can.
You can reserve a space by calling 0844 822 5822, or e-mailing eurodespatch@eurostar.com. You’ll need to have bought your Eurostar passenger ticket before reserving a space, but we suggest you call this number first to check there’s space for a bike on your chosen train.
If you can get your bike into a bike box under 120cm long, Eurostar will load it onto the train. (They sell bike boxes if you don’t already have one.) You’ll have to remove the wheels, and possibly the pedals and rear rack too, but Eurostar have all the necessary tools and their staff will help you with this. If you’re travelling on by bike, be prepared to abandon the box at your destination.
The advantage of bike boxes is that Eurostar can fit more on per train, so you’ve got a higher chance of getting it on the train you’re travelling on. If not, your bike will be bumped onto a subsequent train – possibly up to 24 hours later. Eurostar suggest that you get in early by going to the registered luggage office at St Pancras 90 minutes before departure.
Fees start at £30 and, again, increase in price closer to the departure date, so book in advance.
If you don’t want to use a bike box, you can turn up at the registered luggage office with your bike on the day, and pay £40 (boxed) or £55 (unboxed). Again, it may be bumped off onto a later service if the train is full, and you should be there 90 minutes in advance.
The luggage services aren’t available at Ashford or Stratford International, only St Pancras, Lille, Brussels and Paris. If you’re using the intermediate stations, you’ll need a folder in a bike bag.
Eurostar’s bike helpline is 03448 225 822: if you can, give them a call in advance to double-check your plans.
Pretty much all European trains will take bike bags up to 90cm x 120cm free of charge as hand luggage. On high-speed services, such as Germany’s ICE, Thalys in the Low Countries, and many of France’s TGVs, this is your only option for transporting a full-sized bike. A few TGVs have bike spaces, though these must be booked in advance.
Local trains and old-fashioned locomotive-hauled ‘inter-city’ services are more likely to take unbagged bikes. Some countries, such as Belgium, require that you buy a ticket for your bike.
To check out the situation in each country, we suggest checking out the bike guides from:
European Bike Express is a convenient direct coach service. A comfortable coach tows a dedicated bike trailer from pick-up points in Britain to the most popular cycling destinations in France: the Atlantic, the Alps and the Med. Return fares are around £250 per person.
Ferries take bikes for a small extra fee. The Dutch Flyer, which connects the Harwich–Hook of Holland ferry with trains on either side, is traditionally popular with cyclists. Unfortunately the freight ferries from Immingham no longer take cyclists as was once the case.
The popular trains from Edinburgh and Glasgow to the Highlands, Aberdeen and Inverness have a good quota of bike spaces, but you’ll need to book them in advance. The same applies to the famous Caledonian Sleeper; most sleepers have six spaces, but some only three. It’s easier in central Scotland, where the commuter trains don’t have dedicated bike spaces; just leave your bike in the vestibules.
Bike spaces on trains between Inverness and Wick/Thurso are often booked up months in advance by Land’s End to John O’Groats cyclists, and many LEJoG riders find it impossible to get a space. If you’re riding to John O’Groats, consider shipping your bike back separately. The Spot bike shop in Wick will do this for you (01955 602698, enquiries@thespotcycles.co.uk), as will John O’Groats Bike Transport.
One nice touch on ScotRail is Cycle Rescue, a free call-out service for cyclists if you have a breakdown or accident on a train-enabled ride. Call 08000 717212 and have your ticket to hand!
And better still: dedicated bike carriages are being introduced on the West Highland route, converted from old single-carriage trains. They’re not in service yet – definitely something to look forward to.
Official page on the ScotRail website.
Local trains in the North of England. Two spaces on every train, and no need to book. Conductors are encouraged to use their discretion, particularly on busy lines like the Cumbrian Coast (which gets you to the start of the C2C), so you might be lucky even if there’s already two bikes on board – or more! The company meets with cyclists regularly to discuss provision, which we think is unique.
Official page on the Northern website.
Local trains around Liverpool. Bikes are fine at any time, though not recommended at peak times. Particularly useful for crossing the Mersey, as cycling is banned in the road tunnels.
Useful services across the North, connecting with many popular cycle routes. The number of spaces per train varies: TransPennine has a confusing array of different train designs. Booking is now required, though you may see people informally loading bikes into the vestibules for short hops in cities – don’t count on it for a longer journey.
Official page on the TransPennine Express website.
Made in the Cotswolds. Published by Éditions Système D Ltd.
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