Dear McBUG members,

While not directly effected by this issue I feel strongly that it
sends the wrong message regarding public transport, the environemnt
and sustainability. The ban on V/line trains is doubly ironic as the
trains actually have a designated carriage area for carrying bikes.

The site: http://modernthings.org/binthebikeban/
has good links to articles and forums regarding this issue.

If you are a Bicycle Victoria (BV) member I urge you, if you do
nothing else, to email BV (bicyclevic@...) to register that
they should be lobbying the govt on this issue.

About the bans
===============
As of January 1 2008 bikes were banned from metropolitan and regional
trains in Victoria during peak hours. These bans were introduced by
the Department of Infrastructure. (Metlink announcement)

Connex:
Metro areas: Bicycles are not permitted on trams and buses.
Bicycles are not permitted on services traveling through Zone 1 that:
arrive in the Melbourne CBD between 7.00 am and 9.00 am
depart the Melbourne CBD between 4.00 pm and 7.00 pm
Bicycles must not be placed near the first door of the first
carriage, as this space is reserved for passengers in wheelchairs.

The old rules said "strongly advised to avoid", not "not permitted".

V/Line:
Bicycles can be carried on V/Line train services in off peak periods.
Understanding that there is limited space on peak hour trains,
bicycles will not be permitted on peak hour train services.
We advise that even on off peak train services there is limited space
for bicycles.
Bicycles are generally not permitted on V/Line coach services.

Regards
David