More rugby stuff; this time at Ballymore for the "Reds Family Fun Day".
Ballymore has a wonderful setting; in parkland next to Breakfast Creek. Sadly, this means it's a pig to get to, whether you are on foot, in the car or using public transport.
Our choice was train it to Bowen Hills, change, then out to Windsor station, then cycle from there; half on road; half on bikepath [4.67km return + 2km to the station at our end].
Trains on bikes
I have often taken my bike on QR CityTrains. If you are willing to cycle a few kilometres at either end, it is a useful way of extending the 'reach' of public transport corridors, or to enjoy recreational cycling in a totally different part of the city.
But it is never really easy; clearly it was never envisioned that taking bikes on trains was going to be commonplace in Brisbane as neither the stations, platforms or rolling stock were designed with bicycles in mind.
Central station platforms 5 and 6 - I think - are the only platforms that don't involve a 30cm step up to the carriage: Small kids trying to lift heavy bikes up onto trains, panicking that the doors are going to close on them, always creates tension.
If they could just wheel them on; it would be so much calmer.
CityTrain's new rolling stock does cater better for cyclists, with large roomy, seatless areas at the rear of each unit.
But there are only 4 new [double] units in operation. And sadly most of the time they ply the AirTrain route, presumably so they don't get too grubby from too many customers! Most of the old rolling stock is exceptionally cramped with bicycles on board.
On Sunday, there was a whole bunch of people with their bikes on board (most of them kids, I'm happy to say).
QR should start retro-fitting some of this old rolling stock, by stripping out some seats and having a large bike area near at least one set of doors per 3-car unit.
Maybe that way, QR would be more willing to accede to Council requests to allow bikes on board at peak times to encourage cross-modal transit.
3 comments:
I point out that in Melbourne bikes can be carried on the network at any time, whereas there are restrictions here.
For a bicylist, Central is so hard to exit with a bike. One small lift. No ramp is also part of the challenge.
The option of a quick exit by portage via the Anzac Square underpass is thwarted by a row of barriers. Try to get your peddles past that!
And the lift is so small it can carry only one bike at a time which has to be backed out when you reach your level.Fit a pram or wheelchair and bike in there and see how you can get out of the closet.
I'd think this is self evident -- but not for QR as the refit for the Brunswick Street station suggests. There you are lucky if the escalator is going your way if you are a pedestrian and now -- no ramps at all. It's the lift(one in and out door!) or up a steep staircase for bicyclists.
In Copenhagen they are building a bikepark for 10,000 bikes at the main railway station.
Well then we'll just have to wait until the next time they refit it won't we.
Central and Brunswick St Stations - platforms and evtry levels - crowd very easily. It's slow getting our vial the escalators or stairs with the other passengers.
The only way to fix this is to make the platforms and entry levels bigger. But at some point that means making them way too hard to traverse to get to your platform.
If everyone someday is using public transport (and that is a lot of people, considering that we are complaining so much about congested roads), we will need a lot more space.
Consider also that the "sustainable development" plan is to bring everyone in the suburbs (which is a huge area compared to the urban area) close to the urban cetres. We wil all be sharing urban train and bus facilities.
It can't work.
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