Bin the bike ban!

Binned!

15 February, 2008 – 11:57 am

Read below for todays news article reversing the bike ban – it’s been a wonderful ensemble effort right across Victoria, it’s been inspiring how fantastic peoples responses have been and how they’ve acted accordingly to these bans.

It’s been your victory, well done to you all! Now lets keep an more careful eye on such matters in the future.

MetLink: Bikes back on peak hour trains and further improvements announced

The Age: Minister lifts bicycle ban on peak-hour trains
Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky will today bow to anger from cyclists and reverse a controversial plan to ban bikes on trains during rush hours. Bicycles will once again be allowed on all Connex and V/Line trains at all times – but only in the final carriage of Connex services, and only in set storage areas on V/Line trains. The backpedal comes just six weeks after the rush-hour ban was revealed.

The ban was not formally announced; instead, it was found in the fine print of the Government’s annual Fares and Ticketing Manual. Ms Kosky, who was on holiday when the ban was revealed, distanced herself from the decision to ban bikes, and immediately ordered a review of the decision upon returning to work last month.

The move to ban bikes on Connex and V/Line services sparked heated debate, with many questioning the Government’s commitment to more Victorians using sustainable forms of transport.

The ban was also bad news for cycle lobby group Bicycle Victoria, which was forced to issue a public apology to its members for not fighting the Government over the issue.

Bicycle Victoria’s general manager, Harry Barber, said last night that he was relieved the ban had been reversed. “All the people who use a train-and-bike combination to get to work will be vastly relieved by this,” Mr Barber said. “We can now get on with hooking the bicycle network up with the train network.”

Ms Kosky will today meet bicycle and transport groups to advise them that she will reverse the policy.

In a sop to bike riders, Ms Kosky will also implement a new policy allowing folding bikes – little used in Australia but popular in European and American cities – on all trams and buses. Bikes will need to be folded before getting on to a service.

Chris Star, who helped form lobby group Bin the Bike Ban last month, said she was relieved the ban had been dropped.

“It created a lot of anger because we saw it as a denial of service. And it was done at such short notice and without consultation,” she said.