Great Western Railway Cycling by train

Great Western Railway
Cycling by train
Cycling
by
train
Welcome
Planning your journey
Welcome to the GWR guide to cycling
by train. This booklet explains our
policy regarding the parking of bikes at
our stations and their carriage on our
trains.
• Plan ahead to ensure you can take
your bike on your preferred service
It will also help you plan your journey
so that it is as convenient and enjoyable
for you as possible.
• Refer to the ‘Cycle restrictions and
types of train’ section in this leaflet, or
speak to a member of staff
• Make a reservation if it is possible
to do so. These are made on a firstcome first-served basis until all
spaces are reserved. Please note that
reservations are compulsory on our
High Speed Services
• Check whether there is any rail
improvement work taking place which
will affect your journey. Conventional
cycles cannot be carried on rail
replacement bus services
From Monday 16 May 2016 we will
be making changes to our bike
policy on High Speed Services
From this date you will always need to
make a reservation for your bike, even for
short journeys.
This policy change will enable customers
to reserve and guarantee a bike space on
our High Speed Services.
Reservations can be made at ticket offices
or on our website, generally up to two
hours before the train departs its origin.
The policy for all other services will remain
unchanged.
The carriage of folding bikes is unaffected
by this change in policy.
Our Promise
If you have reserved a space for your cycle
and we don’t honour that reservation, or
find a suitable alternative for you and your
cycle, just get in touch with our Customer
Support team who will be happy to
arrange compensation for you. Their
contact details can be found on the back
cover of this leaflet.
Reserving your bike
Reservations are available to holders of
valid rail tickets and can be made :
• Online at GWR.com
• In person at your nearest staffed
station
• By phoning our Customer Support
Team on 03457 000 125
(0700 to 2200 daily)
There is no charge for reserving a bike
space and you are advised to do so
as early as possible. Reservations can
generally be made up to two hours before
the departure of the train from its origin
station, subject to space being available.
If you reserve your bike space by phone,
your tickets can be posted to you, if you
have allowed sufficient posting time. You
can also collect your reservations from
your nearest staffed station.
On our High Speed Trains you will not
be permitted to load your bike without a
reservation. On our other trains, spaces
which have not been reserved will be
allocated on a first-come first-served
basis. This also applies to trains where
reservations are not possible.
In the event of train cancellations or
severe delays of one hour or longer, you
will be entitled to travel on an alternative
service if space is available. Please retain
all reservation documents.
At the station
If you are travelling with your bike please
arrive at the station in good time. You may
have to use ticket gates, a footbridge or a
lift, and the station may be very busy.
We recommend you are in the correct
position on the platform at least five
minutes before your train is due to depart.
Cycle storage at stations
Most of our stations have dedicated cycle
storage facilities. Larger stations benefit
from sheltered CCTV monitored areas.
Please lock your bike securely. When
leaving your bike at the station please
ensure that you remove items such as
lights, bike computer and panniers.
We cannot be held responsible for the
theft of your bike or the loss of any items
taken from it.
If you leave your panniers on your bike we
reserve the right to search them.
Some stations have bike lockers and we
also reserve the right to search these if
we feel it necessary.
We undertake regular audits of our bike
storage facilities and will identify and
remove any bikes that appear to have
been abandoned.
Please turn off your lights when on station
premises. An unidentified bright light
could interfere with the safe running of our
trains.
Cycling is not permitted anywhere on the
station. In the interests of safety please
walk with your bike at all times.
In accordance with the National Conditions
of Carriage, our staff have the right to
refuse a bike if it is unsafe to carry it, or if
a reservation has not been made.
Boarding the train
Please advise station staff that you are
travelling with a bike. Our staff will advise
you of the best place to stand in order to
ensure your bike is loaded correctly and
safely onto your train.
At unstaffed stations, signs on the
platform indicate the usual position of the
bike storage facility on board our High
Speed trains.
At unstaffed stations the Train Manager
or Conductor will help direct you to the
appropriate place when the train arrives.
Stations with short platforms
Stations with short platforms
Some stations have short platforms and
it may not be possible to access the
designated bike storage area when the
train arrives at your station.
If you are joining the train at any of these
stations, please load your bike into the
coach vestibule and then locate a member
of on-board staff. The Train Manager or
Conductor will then arrange to move your
bike to the bike storage area.
If you intend to leave the train at any of
these stations please inform the Train
Manager or Conductor, who will arrange
with you to move your bike to another
part of the train before reaching your
destination.
Castle Cary
Ascottunder-Wychwood
Hungerford
Redruth
Ashchurch for
Tewkesbury
Ivybridge
Saltash
Bedwyn
Kemble
Saundersfoot
Bodmin Parkway
Keynsham
Slough
Bradford-on-Avon
Kidwelly
St Austell
Bridgwater
Kingham
St Erth
Camborne
Kintbury
St Germans
Castle Cary
Ledbury
St James’ Park
Charlbury
Liskeard
Starcross
Cholsey
Llanelli
Stonehouse
Colwall
Lostwithiel
Stroud
Combe
Maidenhead
Teignmouth
Dawlish
Maiden Newton
Tenby
Dawlish Warren
Malvern Link
Thatcham
Devonport
Manorbier
Theale
Evesham
Menheniot
Tilehurst
Exeter St Thomas
Moreton-in-Marsh
Torre
Ferryside
Nailsea & Backwell
Totnes
Filton Abbey Wood
Neath
Trowbridge
Finstock
Pangbourne
Truro
Frome
Par
Twyford
Goring & Streatley
Pembrey & Burry Port
Westbury
Great Malvern
Pembroke
Weston Milton
Hanborough
Pembroke Dock
Whitland
Hayle
Pershore
Worcester
Foregate Street
Highbridge &
Burnham
Pewsey
Worle
Honeybourne
Reading West
Yatton
Cycle restrictions and types of train
Due to the high level of demand on many
of our services, it is necessary to apply
some restrictions to ensure the safety and
comfort of all customers.
Peak time restrictions only apply on
Mondays to Fridays and exclude Bank
Holidays.
High Speed Train
Bike storage area
On the train
Bikes must only be stored in the
designated areas. These are marked by an
icon featuring a white bike inside a circle.
(Not applicable to our Turbo fleet of trains)
Cycle loading point
Bikes left in doorways or causing an
obstruction will be moved to the correct
area of the train.
You should secure your bike to prevent it
from falling over, but you must not lock it
to any part of the train.
Inform the Train Manager or Conductor
of your final destination so that they can
ensure you are able to leave the train
safely.
Please be prepared and ready to leave the
train with your bike when you reach your
destination.
High Speed Trains
Capacity: 6 bikes
Storage: In the marked bike storage area in
Carriage A (see photo above left).
Reservations: Compulsory on all trains
Services run by our High Speed Trains can
be identified by the
symbol displayed in
our timetables.
Class 180 Trains
Capacity: 6 bikes, 3 at each end of the train
Storage: Between the passenger saloon
and driving cab
Reservations: Compulsory on all trains.
We are unable to carry conventional bikes at
peak times
Turbo Trains
Local services in the Reading area
Capacity: 2 bikes
Storage: Inside the passenger saloon
Reservations: It is not possible to reserve
bikes on Turbo trains
Travelling to London Paddington
You may not take your bike on any service
which arrives at London Paddington
between 0745-0945
Travelling from London Paddington
You may not take your bike on any service
which departs from London Paddington
between 1630-1900
Travelling from Wokingham to Reading
You may not take your bike on any service
which arrives at Reading between
0745-0945
Travelling from Reading to Wokingham
You may not take your bike on any service
which departs from Reading between
1630-1900
Trains in the West of England
Capacity: 2 bikes
Storage: Inside the passenger saloon
Look for the cycle storage icon on the side
of the train
Reservations: Possible on some services
between Bristol Temple Meads and
Penzance and between Cardiff Central and
Portsmouth Harbour
Electric trains operating between
Hayes & Harlington and
London Paddington
Capacity: 2 bikes per 4 carriage train.
(At the time of going to print we expect to operate these
trains with 8 carriages)
Storage: Inside passenger saloon
Reservations: It is not possible to reserve
bikes on this type of train
Travelling to London Paddington
You may not take your bike on any service
which arrives at London Paddington
between 0745-0945
Travelling from London Paddington
You may not take your bike on any service
which departs from London Paddington
between 1630-1900
Weekends and Bank Holidays
Bikes are accepted on all trains at
weekends and Bank Holidays, subject
to reservation requirements and space
availability.
Other types of bike
Folding bikes, with a maximum 20 inch
wheel, are permitted on any train on any
day, even during peak times. Please store
your bike in the luggage rack.
Folding bikes with bigger wheels
than specified above are treated as
conventional bikes.
Tandems can only be carried on High
Speed Trains and must have a reservation.
Other types of vehicle
Due to a limited amount of space, and in
the interests of safety, we are unable to
carry any of the following :
•Motorcycles
•Mopeds
•
Motorised cycles
•
Motor Scooters
•
Bike trailers
Rail improvement work and
Rail Replacement Buses
From time to time, particularly at
weekends, it may be necessary to carry
out rail improvement works. If trains are
replaced by buses, conventional bikes
cannot be carried.
Brompton Dock
A scheme is in place at several locations
including Oxford, Reading, Didcot Parkway,
Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads and
Exeter St Davids.
It allows members to hire a Brompton
folding bike on a short or long-term basis.
To take advantage of this scheme you must
first register online at
www.bromptondock.co.uk
Bike repair
Facilities are available at Bristol Temple Meads,
Taunton and Oxford stations where you may
leave your bike with qualified bike mechanics
who will carry out repairs or maintenance.
Feedback
We hope you have found this guide useful
and informative.
Please contact our Customer Support Team
if you have any comments about this or any
of our other products or services.
Further information
GWR Customer Support
Great Western Railway
FREEPOST RSKT-AHAZ-SLRH
Plymouth
PL4 6AB
GWR.com
03457 000 125 (0700 to 2200 daily)
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Information correct at time of publication. Valid from May 2016
471353/02