1 April 2016

More room for bikes on trains

Cyclists wanting to explore Wairarapa on two wheels have good news – more room will soon be available on weekend and public holiday services and it’s likely that more bikes will be able to be taken on more Hutt Valley and Kapiti services later this year.

Paul Swain, Chair of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Sustainable Transport Committee, says there’s been a noticeable increase in demand over the last few months from people wanting to take their bikes on the train.

“It’s great that more people are wanting to use public transport, particularly at weekends on Wairarapa train services so staff have explored how we can make more room for bikes on trains. We’ll be adding another wagon to Wairarapa weekend trains that will enable about 25 more bikes to be carried.”

People can take bikes on all Johnsonville and Melling services but there are restrictions on peak hour Upper Hutt and Kapiti services as the priority is to get as many people on board as possible at these times of the day. “When all the 35 newest Matangi trains are in service later this year, we will look at easing the restrictions on bikes on trains at peak hour.”

The Council is also exploring the possibility of increasing the number of bikes – from three to four - in the allocated bike area of each Matangi two-car train.

Options to increase the carriage of cycles on Metlink trains were considered by the Regional Council’s Sustainable Transport Committee on 31 March.

The committee agreed that bikes would not be allowed in spaces allocated for mobility devices.

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