Bikes on the LUAS

Thargor

Is anyone doing this these days or do the drivers give a sh1t? I know its technically not allowed but you're technically not allowed on the DART either at rush hour and I never get any hassle, I need to get from Brides Glen to Sandyford this evening around 7pm so it should be an empty tram, dont want to cycle it as Ill have a heavy load of tools with me, dont want to leave my bike locked unprotected in Brides Glen either, place is a ghost town outside of working hours.

awec

The driver won't care, he won't even notice.

If you are unlucky enough to meet a ticket inspector they might say something but realistically what are they going to do? The tram at that location and at that time will be pretty empty as you say, don't think you'll have any problem.

link_2007

You might get lucky with the driver but I think every time I've seen someone try it, regardless of how busy the tram was, the driver has asked them to get off and will sit there with the doors open until they do so.

It also says on their website that 'only collapsible bicycles stored in a carrier bag may be brought on board'

Captain Chaos

The drivers do care. I've been on two trams in the last week where the driver told the people with bikes to leave the tram or it won't go any further. Same with the inspectors, it's zero tolerance lately.

Djoucer

The drivers do care.

They will get on the tannoy and won't leave until you get off.

There may be hope. Edinburgh are now accepting bikes on trams after a successful trial.

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/edinburgh-trams-to-be-first-in-uk-to-allow-bikes-1-3816830

tomasrojo

http://irishcycle.com/2015/07/09/renewed-call-for-bicycles-on-off-peak-luas-after-successful-edinburgh-trams-trial/

The Railway Procurement Agency (which is in the process of being merged with the National Roads Authority to form Transport Infrastructure Ireland) manages the constructions and outsourcing of the operation of the Luas tram system. However, it does so on behalf of the National Transport Authority, which is ultimately responsible for Luas policy.

Not sure whether policy change likely.

awec

That's annoying. Maybe it's an insurance thing.

buffalo

awec wrote: »

That's annoying. Maybe it's an insurance thing.

It's a policy thing.

There are a number of reasons for the bike policy on Luas. There is no safe place to store bicycles on board Luas trams as the areas around the doors are used by wheelchair passengers and parents with buggies. Also, Luas tram carriages are smaller that main line train carriages. There is not always customer service staff on board trams to supervise the carriage of bicycles. As well as all of this, it is difficult to define an "off-peak" for Luas as many people use the trams at lunch time for example or at weekends when there are events or big matches scheduled. It would therefore be extremely difficult to police the carriages of bicycles even if it were permitted at certain times. The body who make the decision re. our bike policy are the Railway Procurement Agency should you wish to contact them directly on this matter.

Thargor

Wonder if I popped off the front wheel and just made it look like I was carrying a big load of crap in my hands, Ill try it and see how I get on...

tomasrojo

Wrap it all up in a garbage bag. You should get away with it, if no wheels or handlebars are poking out. It's arguable at what point of dismantlement a bike stops being a bike anyway.

ted1

Am i missing something here?

you want to get from A to B with your bike. why not just cycle? should only take about 10-15 minutes. up to the N11 and then on out.

magicbastarder

a guy in our building got a folding bike, and got the luas in to work (uphill) and cycled home. it was at the suggestion of his doctor, can't remember what was wrong with his knees.

link_2007

ted1 wrote: »

Am i missing something here?

This part of his post I'd imagine: dont want to cycle it as Ill have a heavy load of tools with me

marty_crane

While I'm sure it has issues of its own, you could also lock your bike at Ben Dunne's Gym and walk to the Luas from there? It's well lit and always busy

L'Enfer du Nord

Luas Policy wrote: »

Also, Luas tram carriages are smaller that main line train carriages. There is not always customer service staff on board trams to supervise the carriage of bicycles. As well as all of this, it is difficult to define an "off-peak" for Luas as many people use the trams at lunch time for example or at weekends when there are events

What ever about weekend events (without prior publicity?) with their ticketing system records surely they can work out exactly when there is and isn't enough space for bikes. There policy can be summed up as couldn't be arsed unless a higher authorities force us like the dart.

magicbastarder

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

with their ticketing system records

i've been given out to twice for not tagging on the luas; i've an annual prepaid ticket, so there's no fare evasion there.
but many people would be like me so they probably can't tell for certain even by ticketing records exactly how many people were on board.

tomasrojo

I think they already have a good idea of when the Luas is busy and when it's not. They imply that either it's unpredictable when it'll be busy (which is untrue to a very good approximation) or that the Luas is seldom less than pretty full (which is not true either).


Even if busy periods on the Luas were randomly distributed throughout the day, the driver can tell people coming on with bikes not to board when the Luas actually is too full.

They could accommodate bicycle users, but they don't see any advantage in doing it. They'll ultimately have to be forced, if it is to happen.

magicbastarder

i've read that a cycle lane alongside the green line was originally mooted but dropped due to cost considerations. anyone know if this was actually the case?

a pity, if true; it'd have been very handy.

ted1

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've read that a cycle lane alongside the green line was originally mooted but dropped due to cost considerations. anyone know if this was actually the case?

a pity, if true; it'd have been very handy.

I doubt that it was ever mooted by someone who knew the line. It uses the old harcourt line and by its very nature there simply isn't any capacity to add a cycle lane parallel to it.

Qualitymark

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've read that a cycle lane alongside the green line was originally mooted but dropped due to cost considerations. anyone know if this was actually the case?

a pity, if true; it'd have been very handy.

Is there any way to see a satellite view of the line? (If you don't know it in detail.)

Muahahaha

go to Google Maps and select 'Satellite View' in the options menu

Qualitymark

Muahahaha wrote: »

go to Google Maps and select 'Satellite View' in the options menu

Mmmcan't see that. Earth yes, Satellite no. But even selecting that, "Luas line" gets nothing, "Luas" gets a selection of things like "Luas depot".

Thargor

Qualitymark wrote: »

Mmmcan't see that. Earth yes, Satellite no. But even selecting that, "Luas line" gets nothing, "Luas" gets a selection of things like "Luas depot".

Apply the Transit layer to the map and the 2 luas lines will highlight over Dublin:

https://support.google.com/maps/answer/3092439?hl=en

Qualitymark

Ah. Mm. Doesn't seem to work when you switch to the Earth view though; can't see the tracks easily. Hm. Mmmf.

Ah, wait, I have it now. No, couldn't be done as the Green line is at the moment, anyway, because the lines keep switching from one side to the other of the road they follow; however, that might be to do with how the tram leans…

Thargor

Oh by the way I never updated this thread, got a lift from my landlord instead

Burning Bridges

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've read that a cycle lane alongside the green line was originally mooted but dropped due to cost considerations. anyone know if this was actually the case?

a pity, if true; it'd have been very handy.

Yes it was , dropped I believe for safety reasons,