Why bikes are not allowed on the Gold Coast’s light rail despite successful trials on other public transport

Cyclists are pushing to be allowed bring their bikes on trams. WHAT DO YOU THINK? VOTE IN OUR POLL

They’re allowed on Sydney trams and suburban Brisbane trains, but cyclists hoping to take their bikes on Gold Coast trams are being told to pedal off by transport bosses.

Keen cyclists in suburbs along the light rail line from Helensvale say they’d like to be able to take their bikes on board for trips along the coastline.

Instead they’re being forced to put them in their cars and drive to popular cycling spots, where they then take up valuable parking spaces.

Shirley Scott, Keith Bazley and Jan Charman at Helensvale tram station with their bikes. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Helensvale resident Jan Charman, 64, regularly cycles along the coast with a group of friends. She said it would be far easier if they could use the tram line for their outings.

“My plan would be to tram one way and cycle the other,” Ms Charman said.

“If I could just hop on the tram, then I could cycle as far as I want to go along the coast, which is what my dream is, and then just hop on the tram back and that’s perfect.

“Plus, with the rising cost of fuel, I don’t want to take my car, it’s defeating the object.”

Ms Charman said there was always plenty of space available at the times she uses the tram, making it all the more disappointing she could not bring her bike with her.

“The trams aren’t that full. My argument is, why can’t we go off peak with our bikes,” she said. “I don’t expect them to say that we can do it during peak hour. But even if it was just between ten and two, that would be perfect.”

Bicycle Queensland Director of Advocacy Andrew Demack said the organisation had been campaigning to have bicycles allowed on Gold Coast trams since 2018, writing to both TransLink and Transport Minister Mark Bailey about the issue.

Mr Demack said allowing bikes on the light rail system would be a “win win” for the community because it would also take traffic off congested roads.

“Anything that makes our public transport systems more flexible, more useful for people is something that we need to aim towards,” Mr Demack said.

“We think that allowing bikes on public transport generally makes public transport more useful for lots of people and generally makes the bike more useful for lots of people.”

Bikes have been allowed on Brisbane suburban trains at any time of day since January, when a restriction prohibiting them during peak hours was dropped. Mr Demack said there had been no negative feedback from the decision to allow bikes on trains.

“The experience of Queensland Rail in allowing bikes on trains even in peak hour seems to show that at the moment, with the current usage rates of our public transport systems, it doesn’t create a problem, it just creates solutions for people,” he said.

Bicycle Queensland Director of Advocacy Andrew Demack. Picture: Renae Droop.

The Bulletin contacted Minister Bailey’s office to ask whether, in light of the successful trial on the train network, he would be in favour of a similar trial allowing bikes on Gold Coast trams.

In response, a Translink spokesperson said folding bikes that could be stored in bags could be brought onto trams at any time, but the limited space on trams compared to trains meant carrying other kinds of bicycles was too risky.

“Due to their much smaller size, trams are not directly comparable to trains in their design and use,” the spokesperson said.

“Trams have far shorter, and narrower carriages to allow for a smaller footprint as they move through a dense urban environment, and a more frequent stopping pattern as they negotiate many road traffic and pedestrian signals, in addition to station stops.

“This difference in design and use are factors in the assessment that bicycles on board trams pose an increased risk to the safety and comfort of passengers. This is due to limited space in trams to accommodate an unfolded bicycle, with particular impediment in entryways, and increased risks for unstable items such as bicycles due to stopping patterns.”

Bonney MP Sam O’Connor said he believed that “at the very least” an assessment should be carried out into the feasibility of carrying bikes on trams.

“I would have thought off-peak it’s a no-brainer,” he said.

“I do understand that trams are smaller than trains, but the whole point of light rail is to enable people to get somewhere without taking the car and there are so many destinations along that line that are cyclable, that you’d want to go for a ride along.”

Follow @keithjwoods