Bicycles on trains

[Daniel]

Yeah the bike shelters at Mana station are what they should have at every station. I've seen them at Petone station and Upper Hutt Station (painted green I believe) but not at any other on the Hutt lines. There should be at least 8 for every station.

[keg]

I've seen them at Petone station and Upper Hutt Station (painted green I believe) but not at any other on the Hutt lines. There should be at least 8 for every station.

Current locker locations and numbers:

Code: Select all

Upper Hutt         26
Wallaceville        4
Trentham            4
Melling             2
Waterloo           22
Petone              8
Otaki               4
Paraparaumu        24
Paekakariki         4
Plimmerton          4
Paremata            4
Porirua             4
Wellington         12

(Source: Metlink)

[Daniel]

I've seen them at Petone station and Upper Hutt Station (painted green I believe) but not at any other on the Hutt lines. There should be at least 8 for every station.

Current locker locations and numbers:

Code: Select all

Upper Hutt         26
Wallaceville        4
Trentham            4
Melling             2
Waterloo           22
Petone              8
Otaki               4
Paraparaumu        24
Paekakariki         4
Plimmerton          4
Paremata            4
Porirua             4
Wellington         12

(Source: Metlink)

What sort of usage do they get?

[Nick R]

The northern busway stations in Auckland have full bike lockers that require only a $2 coin to extract the key, which is refunded once you return the key again.

Basically it's free, first in first served, with the $2 deposit to stop dickheads nicking off with the keys.

[keg]

From Metlink:

Changes to cycle lockers at stations
Posted on 18/08/2010 12:00am

Greater Wellington Regional Council has recently taken over the administration and maintenance of cycle lockers at a number of stations.

Shortly, cycle lockers will become available to rent on an annual basis at the following stations:

• Wellington Station
• Porirua Station
• Plimmerton Station
• Paekakariki Station

If you wish to rent a cycle locker at any of these locations please contact Nichola Powell on 04 381 7779 or transportinfrastructure@gw.govt.nz

Please note that an annual fee of $20.00 plus a $20 key deposit are payable upon commencement of locker rental.

[Daniel]

From Metlink:

Changes to cycle lockers at stations
Posted on 18/08/2010 12:00am

Greater Wellington Regional Council has recently taken over the administration and maintenance of cycle lockers at a number of stations.

Shortly, cycle lockers will become available to rent on an annual basis at the following stations:

• Wellington Station
• Porirua Station
• Plimmerton Station
• Paekakariki Station

If you wish to rent a cycle locker at any of these locations please contact Nichola Powell on 04 381 7779 or transportinfrastructure@gw.govt.nz

Please note that an annual fee of $20.00 plus a $20 key deposit are payable upon commencement of locker rental.

Looks like Tranzmetro/Metlink are more on the ball than they get credit for.

[keg]

Pisses me off as an occasional (considerate) cyclist that sometimes uses metro services (outside the peaks) - this kind of bad attitude rubbish gives cyclists a bad name.

Passenger with bike ordered off train
KERRY MCBRIDE
METRO AND CAPITAL DAY REPORTER
01/08/2012

A commuter train was halted for 15 minutes as two police officers threatened to arrest a passenger because she'd taken her bike with her.

Huck Haeata tried to board a Matangi train from Lower Hutt to Wellington just before 9am yesterday when she was told by staff that she could not take her road bike on the peak-hour service.

She refused to get off, saying she would not cycle on the main highway because it was dangerous.

Although the train departed with Ms Haeata - and her bike - still on board, it stopped for about 15 minutes at Petone station and police were called to escort her off because staff said she was blocking the doorway with her bike.

Two officers came into the carriage and told her to get off the train or she would risk being arrested for disorderly behaviour.

"And then they forced me off the train," she said. "One of the officers gave me an extra little shove, which was really unnecessary."

Ms Haeata, of Lower Hutt, said the rules around bikes on trains were unclear. Train staff told her that prams and wheelchairs were allowed during peak services, but bicycles were not.

Ms Haeata, who is a student at the New Zealand Institute of Sport, said she would not have made a fuss if the rules were clearly signposted to passengers.
continues

The Hutt Rd is an issue though (and one that NZTA and it forerunners have faffed about on or ignored).

On an unrelated note when sufficient Matangi units are available GW/Tranzmetro should stop inflicting old clapped out rubbish (Ganz sets) on peak hour Kapiti pax just to keep a tiny minority of cyclists happy. Clapped out rusty stuff should be kept to the shorter runs as much as possible (ie Porirua, Plimmerton, Taita & Melling).

[kaiwhara]

A quick check of the comments on the Dom Post article, a quick squizz at her Facebook Page, and having spoken to the staff involved (made sure I have looked at all sides), this woman was clearly well out of line (she had next to no backing from fellow passengers on that train who commented on the article), and I would go so far to say I don't think she is alright upstairs...

Pisses me off as an occasional (considerate) cyclist that sometimes uses metro services (outside the peaks) - this kind of bad attitude rubbish gives cyclists a bad name.

Passenger with bike ordered off train
KERRY MCBRIDE
METRO AND CAPITAL DAY REPORTER
01/08/2012

A commuter train was halted for 15 minutes as two police officers threatened to arrest a passenger because she'd taken her bike with her.

Huck Haeata tried to board a Matangi train from Lower Hutt to Wellington just before 9am yesterday when she was told by staff that she could not take her road bike on the peak-hour service.

She refused to get off, saying she would not cycle on the main highway because it was dangerous.

Although the train departed with Ms Haeata - and her bike - still on board, it stopped for about 15 minutes at Petone station and police were called to escort her off because staff said she was blocking the doorway with her bike.

Two officers came into the carriage and told her to get off the train or she would risk being arrested for disorderly behaviour.

"And then they forced me off the train," she said. "One of the officers gave me an extra little shove, which was really unnecessary."

Ms Haeata, of Lower Hutt, said the rules around bikes on trains were unclear. Train staff told her that prams and wheelchairs were allowed during peak services, but bicycles were not.

Ms Haeata, who is a student at the New Zealand Institute of Sport, said she would not have made a fuss if the rules were clearly signposted to passengers.
continues

The Hutt Rd is an issue though (and one that NZTA and it forerunners have faffed about on or ignored).

On an unrelated note when sufficient Matangi units are available GW/Tranzmetro should stop inflicting old clapped out rubbish (Ganz sets) on peak hour Kapiti pax just to keep a tiny minority of cyclists happy. Clapped out rusty stuff should be kept to the shorter runs as much as possible (ie Porirua, Plimmerton, Taita & Melling).

[keg]

She ain't backing down. Hopefully the complaint is given the consideration it deserves (i.e. not much).

Cyclist to lay complaint over removal from train
KERRY MCBRIDE
METRO REPORTER
02/08/2012

A cyclist has defended her decision to remain on a Tranz Metro train after being told to get off.

Huck Haeata was removed from a Matangi train by police on Tuesday morning after she boarded at Lower Hutt with a road bike. Bicycles are not allowed on the train during peak times.

Ms Haeata said train staff were threatening towards her when she would not get off the train immediately and said that calling police was unnecessary and "ridiculous".

She confirmed yesterday she would be lodging a complaint with the Independent Police Conduct Authority, as well as Tranz Metro. However, some fellow passengers came forward yesterday to say that she was aggressive, and that it was selfish to have delayed the train for 15 minutes.
continues

[greenwelly]

Ms Haeata responded that, if any of the passengers had stood up and told her to stop, she would have got off the train immediately.

So she would have accepted being told to get off by a passenger???, but not by train staff or the police???

[kaiwhara]

All feedback I have seen so far shows she was the one who was abusive, not train staff or the police. She is an attention seeker, pure and simple. Let's hope she gets banned for endangering public safety...

[eurokiwi78]

The Hutt Rd is an issue though (and one that NZTA and it forerunners have faffed about on or ignored).

Yeah they need to do something about it, annoys me nothings been done except a couple of studies and a lot of talk for 5 years.

I actually thing they don't utilize the full extent of off road cycleway (which is overgrown and blocked off) deliberately to discourage people altogether.

[pickle]

All feedback I have seen so far shows she was the one who was abusive, not train staff or the police. She is an attention seeker, pure and simple. Let's hope she gets banned for endangering public safety...

This is a situation where a transit police could be helpful. The power to remove her from the train without having to wait for a patrol to arrive would have shortened delays.

Yeah they need to do something about it, annoys me nothings been done except a couple of studies and a lot of talk for 5 years.

I actually thing they don't utilize the full extent of off road cycleway (which is overgrown and blocked off) deliberately to discourage people altogether.

I know, its terrible, no excuse for this behaviour but something must be done there.

[geoff_184]

This is a situation where a transit police could be helpful. The power to remove her from the train without having to wait for a patrol to arrive would have shortened delays.

Existing staff have that power, but their employer requires them to not exercise it so as to not place their zero harm workplace rule at risk. All they need to do is employ staff without imposing that restriction upon them. Like bouncers at bars who manhandle drunks off the premises, or security guards at a rock concert stopping people climbing onto the stage. Employers of these people don't include the dangerous nature of their work as being a part of the zero-harm policy anymore than the Police do for their line of work. It would be ridiculous to do so.

Policing powers not needed. Just a change in staffing policy onboard the trains. Let the security guards and Maori wardens do their job.

[Daniel]

Pisses me off as an occasional (considerate) cyclist that sometimes uses metro services (outside the peaks) - this kind of bad attitude rubbish gives cyclists a bad name.

Passenger with bike ordered off train...
...Ms Haeata, of Lower Hutt, said the rules around bikes on trains were unclear. Train staff told her that prams and wheelchairs were allowed during peak services, but bicycles were not....

"Unclear"... ...if you're a total moron!

How could it be complicated? Prams and wheelchairs are allowed during peak services but bicycles are not, simple stuff. Because Bicycles take up space that isn't available on the Matangi units. Those are the rules sweetheart like it or lump it and no they can't make an exception for one person. Bad luck if you can't work your commute around a GANZ service, the world does not revolve around you.

It would be nice if we lived in a world where she would just be turfed-off the train ASAP... ...face first into the asphalt. Out of interest: did the EE's allow bicycles at peak times?

[geoff_184]

I take it the Matangis don't have vertical bike stands?

[Callum]

Out of interest: did the EE's allow bicycles at peak times?

The English Electrics had dog boxes, so yes, they were allowed.

I take it the Matangis don't have vertical bike stands?

Part of the low-floor section has fold-up seats where bikes can be secured (horizontally). Problem is, they can't be used when the seats are. Definitely nothing as sophisticated as vertical bike stands.

[Daniel]

I take it the Matangis don't have vertical bike stands?

Doesn't look like it.

Out of interest: did the EE's allow bicycles at peak times?

The English Electrics had dog boxes, so yes, they were allowed.

Okay. Well the GWRC didn't include dog boxes in the spec's for the Matangis so...

[The King]

I take it the Matangis don't have vertical bike stands?

No they don't. Bikes must be stored in the trailer car where there are 5 tip up seats. TM requires that passengers leave those seats when needed for bike storage. That's why there are a ban on Matangi during peak. That particular service is usually packed during uni time and it would be unfair to make 5 more people stand to accommodate the bike. And putting the bike in the doorway or aisle is not allowed - we don't want people tripping over it, especially if there was an emergency requiring evacuation.

Well the GWRC didn't include dog boxes in the spec's for the Matangis so...

They didn't want dog boxes as they took up "valuable passenger space"

[Daniel]

Well the GWRC didn't include dog boxes in the spec's for the Matangis so...

They didn't want dog boxes as they took up "valuable passenger space"

Sounds like a wise compromise to me.