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Train stations - "providing better facilities for cyclists"

(15 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by kaputnik
  • Latest reply from kaputnik

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  1. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Train stations to be spruced up for Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games

    Almost 60 Scottish train stations are to be revamped in time for the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games next year.

    A total of £5.27m, from existing Scottish government budgets, will be spent on sprucing up the stations.

    Not withstanding the use of the buzz-phrases "Year of Homecoming ", "quick win" and "shovel ready", which bring a little bit of sick to the back of my throught, I would hope this is a good thing!

    Shame it takes a game of stickball to get things like this done.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. crowriver
    Member

    Hmm. Let's look beyond the hype to see what these 'improvements' really are:

    Full list of stations and improvements:

    Keith – Bus interchange and car park extension and taxi drop-off area
    Ladybank – New 48-space car park
    Gleneagles – Refurbishment of station buildings, platforms, toilets and waiting rooms.
    Irvine – New car park
    Bathgate – Expansion of car park
    Insch – Design of access and car park scheme
    Uphall – New staircase from carpark. New signage.
    East Kilbride route – Enhanced cycling facilities and car park barriers.
    New cycle shelters at Inverkeithing, Linlithgow, Lanark, Shotts, Balloch, Bishopton, Paisley Canal, Whitecraigs, Dingwall, Longniddry, Bishopbriggs, Kirkcaldy, Lenzie, Carluke, Forres, Dalmuir and Portlethen.
    Bellshill – New cycle shelters, improvements to car park and pavement, new signage, improved lighting
    New customer information screens at Coatdyke, Croftfoot, Garscadden, Hillfoot, Wishaw, Cardross, Carntyne, Drumry, Stepps, Pollokshields East, Springburn, South Gyle, Dumbarton Central, Stonehaven and Kilmarnock.
    Edinburgh Park – Renew customer information screens, new cycle shelters and fitting of ticket vending machines
    Anniesland – New customer information screens and new platform shelters.
    Musselburgh – Car park barriers
    Oban – Car park barriers
    Ayr – New shelter for Cairnryan coach passengers
    Paisley Gilmour Street – Upgrading stairs
    Saltcoats – Refurbish waiting room and ticket office
    Wemyss Bay – Refurbish toilets
    New ticket vending machines - Glasgow Airport, Larbert, Perth, Dundee
    New platform shelters – Lenzie, Milliken Park and Dalreoch

    http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/homecoming-station-investment

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. Arellcat
    Moderator

    …and "quick win" improvements at Glasgow stations."

    In my experience, "quick win" improvements are like slopping tar into potholes because the Pope is visiting. Morningside Road of course is now back to its good old, cratered self.

    The Beeb would do well to read Network Rail's own documents, which refer to proper British geraniums-and-fob-watches "railway stations", not that horrible imported phrase, "train stations".

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. crowriver
    Member

    On the train to Dunblane yesterday I noted that Stirling station is in the process of getting a lick of fresh paint. Also at some point someone (the council?) seems to have built a 'fancy' (ie. glass/stainless steel/sandstone) new bridge over the tracks, adjacent to the station but seems to mainly connnect a car park with a big shopping centre.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Calum
    Member

    Saw the new cycle shelters starting to go in at my local station today. Strikes me as tokenism - generally you're lucky to see even one bike locked to the existing Sheffield stands. I wonder why that could be (!)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    We're getting car-park barriers. If that stops the pavement along the side of the car-park being blocked by drivers who park too far forward then that might actually be an improvement.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. Baldcyclist
    Member

    Yep, bike racks (even lockers) pretty much useless at train stations. I certainly wouldn't leave mine locked up at one!

    It's not cycle improvements at train stations we need, but improvements *on* trains (more capacity).

    Have to say, when I moved to Fife, I was quite impressed by the maintained flower beds and white picket fences at all most of the stations. Although cosmetic, really does make a difference.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. DaveC
    Member

    We already have lockers and most are used. We have around 30 in DB. They give the users a feeling of more security than Staples.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. fimm
    Member

    But eventually we want to have the "Dutch Problem" of there being such a theoretical demand for bikes on trains that they simply have to ban them - "everyone" has a bike at both ends, and so there's security in numbers. How we get there I have no idea...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    I remember the olden days when you used to be able to put your car on the train. I think it was called motoral. The idea was, you could get the sleeper from England or Wales to say Inverness or Fort William, and take your car with you. I think we used it once as a family. The car was on a flatbed truck, can't recall if it was the same train or a separate freight train.

    Somehow I think there'll be more park'n'ride for cars before there's a Dutch style problem with bike parking. Having said that, Waverley bike racks are pretty much at capacity. I wonder though how many of those bikes are simply being 'stored' for a while rather than used as part of a mixed mode commute?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    crowriver: "I wonder though how many of those bikes are simply being 'stored' for a while rather than used as part of a mixed mode commute?"

    I think they're mostly used. A fortnight ago I saw three bikes in one rack with Brooks saddles. Last week they were gone.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    The car was on a flatbed truck, can't recall if it was the same train or a separate freight train.

    You must have been an early pioneer of Motorail, Crowriver. They quickly found that yoofs took great pleasure in dropping stones off bridges as the Motorail train passed underneath, resulting in lots of dented cars and smashed windscreens. The open wagons were largely replaced with enclosed versions - which were harder to fit cars in, but more secure.

    Demand died out in late 80s or early 90s, although they ran one called the Night Riviera (London - Cornwall varation of the Caley Sleeper) until more recently.

    Motorail required special platforms at the stations to get the cars in/out. Until recently, Waverley still had its at the east end of the station where the thunderbird loco normally kicks its heels. Perth still has its I think, and the signs for them too.

    The network was very extensive, as the Wikipedia map shows.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. crowriver
    Member

    According to that article, the service started in 1955, so a bit before my time. We used it in the early 1980s if I recall.

    I also seem to remember that you were brought a freshly cooked breakfast on the sleeper back then...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. gembo
    Member

    @crowriver regards the glass bridge in Stirling, that is the forthside pedestrian bridge, Stirling council had it built between 2007 and 2009. I think there were delays. The railway station used to have an exit (or indeed entrance) on the far side but that is no more. I occasionally cycle over it when heading to the football stadium. Nice little,cafe called Toast en route and the swimming pool is next to the football stadium and very nice. When the economy picks up I am guessing they will build lots of houses. The architects valuenthenbridge at £1 million.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-24954861

    Construction work has begun on a new £3.8m link road between Gleneagles station and the A9 in preparation for next year's Ryder Cup golf competition

    Having had the misfortune to want to access and exit Gleneagles station by bicycle, this is a very good thing. Currently the road dumps you out onto the A9 westbound at a dual carriageway section with traffic thudering past at 70mph. Cyclists and pedestrians get the option of a gravel/mud/grass "footpath" about 1 foot wide and only a few feet from the carriageway, well in the sprayzone on a wet day and terrifying even on a dry day. You have to go against traffic flow to get back to the station; a horrible proposition.

    This new road will get you onto the quieter A823-road where there is a proper grade separated junction with the A9.

    Obviously when they built the new A9 dual carriageway they decided to sever the access road from the station to Auchterarder and anyone else could get tae.

    Posted 10 years ago #

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