Liverpool / Wirral Commute - Crossing the water

[lejogger]

Hi Guys,
I run the Bicycle User Group for our company, and was speaking to an employee today who found it unfair that he has to pay for either the Mersey Ferry, or for one train stop in order to join his commutes on either side of the water while his mate gets free passage through the tunnel on his motorcycle.
His question was whether as an organisation we could challenge Merseytravel and presumably request free or discounted travel for cyclists on either the train or ferry.

My answer was 'not really', because the foot passengers would be just as perturbed by cyclists getting a free ride as we are by motorcyclists getting a free ride. We can actually cycle through the Birkenhead tunnel during the week, but only after 8pm and before 6am, which would suit only those with long working days. Merseytravel have recently installed excellent cycle storage facilities at all of their stations so they're clearly not opposed to our way of thinking.

Anyway, my question is whether you can think of any other solutions. Does he have a point or did I answer him realistically? Is there any point in challenging Merseytravel? And what do other commuters in the area do (if there are any on here)?

 

[400bhp]

Aren't Merseyrail updating all their trains? Strike while the iron is hot.

 

[dodgy]

Interesting thought, I'd never thought of it in those terms (motorcyclists getting across for free). Years ago there was some talk about opening up the emergency tunnel up to cyclists to allow them to ride through at any time. Don't think it got anywhere due to safety considerations. Apparently the emergency passage is a 3rd tunnel running between the main 2 tubes?

 

[lejogger]

Aren't Merseyrail updating all their trains? Strike while the iron is hot.

They are indeed. A massive project it seems.
I just can't seem to come to a clear justification whichever way I look at it. Why should motor-cyclists have free passage but cyclists not? But why should cyclists have free passage if foot passengers do not?
It's a £2.30 return just to travel the one stop on the train, or between £2.60 and £4 on the ferry depending on whether it's am or pm. Over the course of a year that adds up to a lot considering it's potentially only a small leg of the journey, and for me, one of the main reasons I commute by bike is the £££s i save.
It would be interesting to know what the justification is for motorcycles being free rather than the £3 for a car. Less damage to the road surface? They're still near enough as long as a car and cause as much congestion... Admittedly they will travel at the same speed as a car whereas a bike in a primary position travelling at 10mph up the hill is something you can't have in a narrow tunnel at rush hour.

Ideally you'd want them to offer some sort of shuttle service. Perhaps half hour intervals at rush hour, a mini bus with a trailer shuttles you and your bike through. You don't hold up traffic and pay a nominal 50p or something to cover fuel costs?

 

[headcoat]

I didn't realize you could ride through the tunnel at night, don't think I would fancy it though with cars going past.

I think your best option would be if they could open the emergency tunnel or something else that is already down for cycles and pedestrians. I have always wanted a pedestrian bridge over the Mersey but can't see that ever happening..

I commute but from Wirral to Chester (via a bit of a train journey) and the trains are great for bikes, when not too busy, the cycle storage looks good but I don't have a need for it.

 

[fossyant]

Tell him to ride round the long way, lazy bugger !

 

[headcoat]

I think motorbikes are free for a number of reasons, there aren't that many of them compared to cars, the hassle of taking gloves off, finding money etc. and perhaps on eco grounds to encourage them.

 

[lejogger]

I didn't realize you could ride through the tunnel at night, don't think I would fancy it though with cars going past.

My pal and I rode through on a Saturday morning before 7am when we were on our 2009 LEJOG. It's a very strange experience, but not unpleasant. There's no issue in the first half, because downhill in a 30 zone you're fast enough to keep up with traffic flow.
Our main concern coming out was that because changing lanes isn't permitted in most circumstances, cars would try to squeeze past us too close while we were packed up like sahara crossing camels. We therefore just rode two abreast and noone seemed to have any problem with either overtaking in the next lane or waiting patiently behind.
The biggest problem was when I got out the other side I dropped my chain over the top of the block into my rear wheel and snapped two spokes! Had to limp the 50 miles to Preston as there weren't any bike shops open anywhere!

 

[Crackle]

Motorcyclists didn't always get it free and it was made so on purely practical reasons. I'll give you an example.

Imagine a motorcyclist gets up to the wrong gate, because then you had to go through the manned ones which were gateless in case it crashed down on your bonce. Anyway, realizing his mistake, he then has to get off the bike, wave a few cars, now queuing behind him, to go back so he can push the bike out and having done so, ride across more traffic to get to the manned lane, causing further chaos. When he gets there, he realizes that he forgot to put the change in his outside pocket, so he has to take off his gauntlets, unzip his waterproof, unzip his leathers and dig out the money. He then has to hand it over and do the process in reverse before setting off again. Meanwhile a dirty biq queue has built up behind him all for the sake of less than half the cost of a car going through.

Now whilst this plonker is purely an example it's a common one, hence the reason they decided to let motorbikes go through free as they were more hastle than it was worth collecting the fees for.

I'd concentrate efforts on making sure the new trains will have adequate bike provision because the current crop do it really well.

 

[dodgy]

Yup, that makes sense Crackle. Merseyrail have a pretty good reputation as far as trains and bikes go. I used the train for the first time with my bike in April, it was an absolute breeze.

 

[BrumJim]

Aren't Merseyrail updating all their trains? Strike while the iron is hot.

Current proposal is for 2 bike spaces per train.

 

[fossyant]

TBH it's crap.

But, if you can have a nice REAL coffee on the ferry, then it would not be bad sat about.

There is no real alternative, other than moving jobs.

 

[growingvegetables]

If a shuttle can be put in place for a bridge - why not for the tunnel?


Betcha the guy driving the truck is the road architect who "forgot" to put in the required cycle provision, and so condemned to the modern equivalent of Sisyphus for all eternity

 

[irw]

Current proposal is for 2 bike spaces per train.

Is it not four at the moment? (2 in either end carriage)

 

[on the road]

That's great, I wish they could do that for the Mersey tunnel, but with Merseytravel being a private company there's no incentive for them.