Bin the bike ban!

Media coverage update

Rail bike ban ‘backward’ (2008-01-08), Whitehorse Leader.

Choice quote:

Seasoned cyclist and eastern suburbs resident Ray Peace condemned the measure, saying more lockers and cages at stations was not the answer.

“It would help, but only to a limited degree; it’s OK if you don’t need to ride at the other end but if you want to ride your bike at both ends you’re stonkered.” [seasoned cyclist and eastern suburbs resident] Mr Peace said.

Cyclists oppose ban (2008-01-12), Bendigo Advertiser:

ANGRY Castlemaine cyclists have formed an action group in response to V/Line’s bicycle ban.

The group claims the ban preventing bicycles from being taken on peak-hour country trains is illogical.

The group will meet on Monday to discuss possible action.

One member of the group, Louise Cook-Tonkin, teaches at Tylden Primary School, nine kilometres from Kyneton and says riding her bike and catching the train takes 15 minutes off the same journey in a car, with an added environmental benefit. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in media | 3 Comments »

More banners!

OK, actually just a variation on old banners. But still… new shapes! If you need a SVG editor a good one is Inkscape.

“Ban blameshifting not bikes with URL”:

• Download the original PNG (width over 1000px)
• Download the 500px width PNG (displayed above)
• Download the 250px width PNG
• Download the SVG (can print at any size)

Add this banner to your site by copy-and-pasting this code:
<a href="http://www.binthebikeban.org" title="binthebikeban.org"><img src="http://modernthings.org/bikeban/banblameshiftingnotbikes-url-250.png" border="0" alt="Ban blameshifting not bikes!" title="binthebikeban.org" /></a> Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in campaign | 1 Comment »

Bin the bike ban to be interviewed on RRR

RRR has a summer show called Along for the Ride, Tuesday 7-8pm. If you’re in Melbourne you should listen in tonight to hear a chat with yours truly (Brianna) about the “Bin the bike ban” campaign.

• Listen to the Interview + talk back mp3. File size: 3M, running time approx. 22 minutes.

Posted in media | 4 Comments »

Cyclists call for V/Line ban to be lifted

Geelong Advertiser: Cyclists call for V/Line ban to be lifted
Bike riders want City Hall to fight a V/Line bicycle ban. Convener of Geelong Greens Bruce Lindsay said he used to ride to Geelong station when he commuted to Melbourne and would cycle to his workplace from Southern Cross Station.

“Far fewer greenhouse emissions. No stress of driving. No parking hassles,” he said.

He said a move to rid peak trains of bicycles would further congest overflowing station car parks and smacked of decision making made on the run to fix a strained public transport system.

“Rather than fundamentally fixing the system, there is instead a series of ad hoc actions and decisions (or non-actions or indecisions),” he said.

Convener of Barwon Bicycle Users Group Russell Lindsay has written to councillor Barbara Abley asking her to protest the crackdown on cyclists to Geelong MP Ian Trezise and Minister for Public Transport Lynne Kosky.

Mr Lindsay said the ban on bikes would force cyclists to drive to rail stations rather than ride. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in media | 3 Comments »

The Age: Cyclists still find their path blocked by bureaucracy

The Age: Cyclists still find their path blocked by bureaucracy (13/01/08)
It’s time bikes were seen as an ally to help tackle congestion. Victorian cyclists have failed to win the State Government’s affections. While we have a minister for public transport and another for roads, cyclists are rarely given much of a look-in.

This is in sharp contrast to the Government’s rhetoric on the matter. Roads Minister Tim Pallas, who has responsibility for cyclists, spoke freely in Parliament one February night last year about the virtues of cycling.

“Cycling is a wonderful undertaking, and it is increasingly becoming not only a social and environmentally responsible activity but an important way in which to deal with our congestion issues,” he said.

He has also ridden from Williamstown to work at Spring Street to show his support for bikes. But that’s where the good news for cyclists ends. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in media | No Comments »

Meeting Update

Melbourne Metro
Saturday 3pm, 12th January. CERES Cafe, 8 Lee Street East Brunswick. Don’t worry if you can’t make it, there will no doubt be further meet ups. A precis/minutes will be posted on the public transport list. More details here.

Geelong
From Russell: I am planning to be involved in the ‘Ban the Bike Ban’ Meeting on Saturday afternoon via Skype. For all Geelong based riders who want to be involved, come to Café 9 Zero 90 Pakington St, Geelong West, for the 3pm meeting – and send this on to whomever you think will be interested. – Russell Lindsay. P: 5222 3344 E: cafe9zeroAToptusnet.com.au

Are you organising a similar meet up, action planned or a media interview? Please leave the details in the comments & we’ll post them into the main article.

Some things to consider for any agenda or discussion at meetings

Short term goals

Medium term goals

Long term goals

Further background to what people have been discussing can be read in this email on the public transport list.

Posted in campaign | 2 Comments »

Frank Fisher: Poor system crushes bikes

Frank Fisher’s letter published in MX (9/01/08) gives some idea of the history behind the simple act of taking your bicycle on the train. If you have links to media articles, scanned articles or blog posts, please contact us so that they can be collated on this site.

Also the Bin the Bike Ban now has a domain name, simply use the link below to promote this site:

www.binthebikeban.org

Posted in media | 4 Comments »

A leaflet you can use

Every day I catch the train home and every bike I see, I wonder what the person carrying it thinks abou the bikes-on-trains ban. I want to tell them about our campaign and inspire them to fight to overturn the ban with us. So I made this leaflet so I have something to give them. 🙂

The text says,

Dear cyclists & thoughtful citizens,

You may be aware that on January 1 2008 the Department of Infrastructure (via Victorian State Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky) introduced a law banning bikes from peak-hour trains. This ban was introduced in the name of reducing over-crowding, but bikes on trains are NOT the cause of over-crowding. This ban makes cyclists scape-goats for poor management and funding by the government and rail companies. The ban is especially ludicrous for V/Line because those trains have special luggage compartments where bikes are stored, so there is no way a bike stops people boarding those trains.

This ban will do nothing to stop inconsiderate jerks who happen to carry bikes on crowded trains, and will only make criminals out of considerate cyclists who need the flexibility that comes with NOT having a blanket ban.

As a society with two major problems facing it, being obesity and the impending oil crisis, it is ludicrous that decisions like this which discourage cycling could even be considered let alone implemented. Please join us in acting to have this ban overturned.

You can download the PDF to print out and use yourself:

• leaflet4.pdf – this is the 4 pages of the leaflet, so you can do the fancy “print 4 pages in 1” thing
• leaflet.pdf – one page

Is there something else that should be mentioned in the text? Later when we have specific events planned I will mention those. (By the way, did you notice the site now has an events page? :))

If you have another text or design that you want to share, please email me or leave a comment, and I will put it up here for others to use. You can also use our existing banners or create some more.

Posted in campaign | 5 Comments »

Todays media: “State Government’s ban descends into a farce”

Herald Sun: Connex and V/Line rail staff defy bicycle peak hour ban

Rail staff are refusing to force commuters to get their bikes off peak hour trains as the State Government’s ban descends into a farce. Industry sources yesterday said that the ban was unpopular and unworkable.

ABC Online: Rural cyclists criticise bike ban

Regional Victorian cyclists are calling for country train services to be excluded from a new bicycle ban. Bikes are not allowed on metropolitan peak hour trains and will be banned on regional V/Line services from February.

Former Bendigo councillor Laurie Whelan rides to work every day and often takes his bike to Melbourne on the train. He says the new velocity regional trains have room for bikes and the Victorian Government’s decision does not make sense. “It’s a step backwards in the sense that people are using that combination of cycling and public transport because you can get around a lot quicker and easier when you use that combination,” he said.

Posted in media | No Comments »

Meeting this Saturday

Informal meet up for Bin the Bike Ban:

Saturday 3pm, 12th January. CERES Cafe, 8 Lee Street East Brunswick. Don’t worry if you can’t make it, there will no doubt be further meet ups. A precis/minutes will be posted on the public transport list.

Please let us know if you’re organising meetings or action in your area. Especially if you live in a regional area and are organising something against the V/Line ban, email me and we will put the details up here.

Google map for CERES Cafe:

View Larger Map

Posted in campaign | 2 Comments »