CTC Cymru / WCU

Welsh National Cycle Centre

UWIC

Fairwater Campus

Cardiff

CF5 3XH

Ms Siwan DaviesCommittee ClerkThe National Assembly for WalesEnvironment, Planning and Transport CommitteeCardiff BayCardiffCF99 1NA22 September 2000Dear Ms. Davies,Policy Review of Public Transport in WalesThank you for inviting the CTC Cymru to comment on the above.The CTC is Britain's largest national cycling organisation representing around 70,000 individual and affiliated members. We are required by our articles of association to work on behalf of all cyclists. CTC Cymru is concerned with cycling in Wales and works closely with members of the National Assembly for Wales. We have a keen interest in promoting cycling as sustainable transport and tourism.A Summary of the CTC's ViewsWe are pleased that the Assembly is committed to sustainable development, tackling social disadvantage and promoting equality of opportunity. We believe that the bicycle offers a socially inclusive, equitable and sustainable means of access to public transport services. We believe that many more people would use bicycles if the right facilities were provided at public transport interchanges and onboard public transport vehicles. We urge the Assembly to adopt objectives, policies and targets to enable more people to combine cycling with travel by public transport. The changes we are proposing can be made within the existing legislative and organisational framework. The new Wales and Borders franchise will provide an excellent opportunity for such changes to be agreed as part of the new franchise agreement.Please find enclosed the evidence of the CTC for consideration by the Committee.If any further information is required please contact me at the above address.Yours sincerely Jake Griffiths and Sue Hall CTC Cymru CTC Public Transport OfficerFor details of the information and insurance services provided by the CTC contact us today. We offer both a corporate affiliation package and an individual membership subscription. How public transport in Wales can be better integrated with cycling We urge The National Assembly for Wales to adopt the national targets and objectives for combining cycling with train travel, endorsed by the Government's Integrated Transport White Paper

1. On trains The National Cycling Strategy (NCS) supports the carriage of cycles on all passenger trains (space for at least 6 cycles to be included in all new train orders and train refits).
2. At stations The NCS also includes a target to provide secure cycle parking at all public transport interchanges.
3. The Government's Integrated Transport White Paper asks all rail operators to report on how they will meet the objectives of the Cycle Mark Code of Practice developed by CTC, Sustrans and the Cyclists’ Public Affairs Group.

These objectives are:-

• • To improve customer satisfaction
  • To increase the number of customers arriving at stations by cycle
  • To increase the number of cycles carried on trains
  • To provide a competitive alternative to the private car

New national objectives which the Assembly may like to adopt

1. targets to increase the number of journeys made by combining cycling with travel by train and bus.
2. The Assembly might also wish to use these targets as an indicator of the extent of inter-modal integration which has been achieved.

 We urge The National Assembly for Wales to adopt targets, policies and strategies which encourage the following areas of provision:-Trains

1. Safe and convenient cycle access to all train stations;
2. Easy and convenient access to and from platforms for passengers with cycles - these are needs in common with wheelchair users - and pedestrians too - and include the provision of public lifts and ramps.
3. All train stations to link to local and national cycle networks (routes and sign-posting);
4. Facilities at stations to include secure cycle parking (for both long and short stay);
5. The development of some stations as Cycle Centres providing a range of services for those travelling by cycle (cycle repair, cycle shop, local cycling information, shower/changing facilities, cycle hire)
6. Cycle hire to be available at or close to appropriate stations, sign-posts to indicate this and information to be available at stations.
7. Provision of adequate and high quality dedicated cycle carriage space on all trains; (minimum of 6 spaces per train)

Bus and Coach

1. Bus priority lanes and networks to incorporate cycle access;
2. Safe and convenient access to bus stations for cyclists;
3. Bus stations to be linked to the local and national cycle networks;
4. Facilities at bus stations to include secure cycle parking (for both long and short stay);
5. Where cycle hire is available at or close to a station, sign-posts to indicate this and information to be available at stations.
6. Secure cycle storage facilities to be provided at appropriate rural bus stops and at 'park and ride' sites;
7. Cycle carriage to be available on bus and coach services (especially those serving rural areas and tourist areas which are inaccessible by train);

Tickets, information, encouragement

1. Through ticketing for cycle carriage on the services of different bus and train companies. This could also include ferry services.
2. Multi-modal ticketing between connecting bus, train (and ferry) services;
3. Clear and easily accessible information about how people can combine cycling with public transport use;
4. Encouragement / incentives to leave the car at home. e.g. cycle season tickets, discounts for regular users of cycle lockers; discounts on cycle hire for bus and train passengers

Monitoring and improving provisions for cyclists.

1. Consultation with passengers and local cycling groups to determine the details of new provision or refurbishment at stations and onboard trains and buses. This can help to ensure the best result for users and can be cost effective if a facility is provided as an add-on to existing work.
2. Surveys to determine:- the number of cycles carried on existing train, bus and ferry services; the number of cycles parked in the cycle stands and at other locations; the level of awareness amongst existing/potential passengers of the option to combine cycling with public transport use. Such surveys can help to estimate both the level of frustrated demand for cycle provisions and whether or not the right facilities are being provided in the right places.

Quantitative Information to Support our Position The bicycle offers accessible, socially inclusive transport and it is environmentally friendlyOver 90% of men and 67% of women are able to ride a bicycle. One in three adults and 50% of households in Britain own a bicycle. More than 62% of journeys between one and two miles are made by car while these same journeys are often quicker by bike (Source: DoT, The Journey Times Survey, 1996). Bicycles are the most environmentally efficient vehicles for short distance journeys.Cycling can be combined with travel by public transport to provide a sustainable 'door to door' alternative to car useThe development of facilities to enable cycling to be integrated with public transport is supported by the Government's Integrated Transport White Paper (specifically on pages 49 - 51). This would also help to achieve other government targets such as improving the health of the nation, reducing vehicular emissions and encouraging sustainable transport and tourism.Building on the Integrated Transport White Paper the Government's Ten Year Plan sets out the target to treble the number of cycling trips from their 2000 level by 2010. This Plan also seeks to increase passenger rail use in Britain by 50% by 2010 and contains targets for increasing bus and light rail use in England.The PotentialThe Bikerail Cycle Challenge Report: "Making the Connection" (DETR, October 1998) indicates that over 60% of the UK population live within a 15 minute cycle ride of a railway station. Evidence from overseas indicates that there is great potential to increase the number of journeys in Britain which combine cycling and rail travel. For example:

• less than 1% of rail passengers in Britain arrive at their outward station by bike; the figures for other countries include: Germany 15%, Denmark 35%, Holland 35%.
• £7,500,000 in revenue from passengers and their cycles was obtained during 1991 by German Railways (Source: "Bikes and Trains" published by the European Cyclists' Federation 1992).

Combining cycling with bus and coach travelAround forty bus and coach companies in Britain carry bicycles and this figure includes three companies in Wales. These companies report high usage by cyclists of their services and at least two of these companies are hoping to expand their services. The Bus network could be developed as an integrated transport service to complement the rail network. This would enable people to travel without use of the private motor car and would be a key part of developing sustainable tourism in Wales. More and more cycle routes are being opened up, yet many of these are accessible only by car.The Government's Integrated Transport White Paper the government states:-"We will collaborate with local authorities, public transport operators and other bodies to help establish acceptable methods of carrying cycles on buses and coaches".This work is being taken forward by a National Cycle Forum Working Group and some good practice guidance is to be published later this year. Secure cycle parking facilities at bus interchanges, cycle hire at interchanges and safe and convenient cycle access to interchanges can all help to encourage people to combine cycling with bus travel for day to day transport.