Categories
Advocacy

Full Steam Ahead for Bikes on Trains

In response to a request from Bicycle Queensland, the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, the Hon Mark Bailey MP today announced a six-month trial of allowing bicycles and e-scooters on trains in peak hours.

Bicycle Queensland CEO Rebecca Randazzo said the six-month trial of allowing bicycles and e-scooters on peak hour trains in peak direction of travel, which will start 1 July, was a win for people who want flexibility in how they get around south-east Queensland.

“Every time someone uses the combination of bike and train to get around SEQ, that’s one less car on the roads,” Ms Randazzo said.

Watch the video of the announcement here.

Pictured is Bicycle Queensland’s CEO Rebecca Randazzo and Transport Minister Mark Bailey on Sunday at Albion train station to announce the great news.

“And combining public transport and bike riding helps you find your 30 minutes of physical activity for the day. And reduces carbon emissions. And it puts a smile on your face because you’re not stuck in traffic.”

“As it says on the Queensland Rail website: ‘Using your bicycle is a great way to get around South-east Queensland’!”  Ms Randazzo said.

Minister Bailey’s decision was a response to a letter sent in March, drafted by Bicycle Queensland and supported by all the bicycle user groups in the CityTrain operating area.

The letter highlighted Queensland Rail’s recent progress made in providing quality bike parking facilities at upgraded CityTrain stations but highlighted the prohibition of bikes on peak hour trains as a glaring issue in Queensland Rail’s services to bike riders.

“This is a great step forward, and we thank the Minister,” Ms Randazzo said.

“We would also like to be able to bring bikes on the G-Link tram on the Gold Coast, and a more liberal allocation for bike storage on the Tilt Train service from Brisbane to Bundaberg and Rockhampton,” Ms Randazzo said.

BQ Heavy Vehicle Safety Strategy Feedback

BQ is pleased to be playing a larger role in the heavy vehicle safety space. Last month the NVHR’s 5-year heavy vehicle safety strategy was released, and our Director of Education was happy to see the partnership approach between industry, supply chain, government and community that will bring about improved safety outcomes.

Bicycle Queensland put in a response to the strategy looking to improve awareness of vulnerable road users and more clearly identify the safety improvements to older vehicles.

View the response feedback here.

If you would like to find out more about our response to this strategy, please get in touch by emailing bqinfo@bq.org.au!