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Cyclists plan Eurostar protest at new St Pancras
Evening Standard25.10.07
Cyclists are aiming to embarrass rail bosses at St Pancras by staging a protest as passengers arrive for the inaugural Eurostar service.
They are angry at what they say are poor cycle facilities. Ralph Smyth of the London Cycling Campaign said: "St Pancras will have the worst provision of any major UK station."
The station has only 30 bike stands. Campaigners say they are not fixed to the ground, can damage front wheels and are several minutes' walk from platforms. Bikes cannot be taken on Eurostar unless they are dismantled or checked in a day early for £40. There are also concerns over road safety, with three cyclists dying within 500m of St Pancras in the past year.
Sustainable transport consultant Dave Holladay said: "St Pancras are proud as punch at having the longest champagne bar in Europe but they can't provide decent bike facilities."
The new terminus will be opened by the Queen on 6 November. The protest is planned for 14 November.
A spokesman for developer London & Continental Railways said: "We still have building going on and space is unfortunately at a premium. We will expand cycle parking as we go."
Reader views (9)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Some of the comments here demonstrate just how much work needs to be done to encourage the joined-up thinking that is needed to even begin to provide adequate facilities for cyclists and a more sustainable future for us all.
Imagine I turn up with my bicycle at St. Pancras heading to Paris for a weekend break: no, I don't need a bicycle rack for the duration of the weekend, but I do need a bicycle rack if I want to go and enjoy the longest champagne bar in Europe for an hour before boarding my train; or is assumed that cyclists just don't do that sort of thing?
To even make it to the station in the first place, there needs to be safe cycle routes for me to use in the first place - let's not forget, 3 dead cyclists within 500 metres of St. Pancras in three months. If that were three dead toddlers killed by joyriders there would be a national outcry. Three dead cyclists is just hard luck it seems.
- Nick, London
Why on earth is this kind of nonsense still happening in this day and age? Doesn't London have cycle parking standards for new buildings? Cambridge does.
@Neil, If you're going to travel by Eurostar it's highly unlikely that the only thing you'll turn up with is a bike.
So what about people who work there?
- Thomas, Cambridge
It's no good saying trains are green, then making it difficult to park your bike at the station!
- Tom Otley, Bedford
Only some of the station users are travelling Eurostar. A lot are commuters like myself and I'm surprised there are no proper cycle racks like in other stations. I end up leaving my bike at Kings Cross and walking across to St Pancras.
- Chris Nevard, Dunstable
If you're going to travel by Eurostar it's highly unlikely that the only thing you'll turn up with is a bike, and even if you are you have to book it onto the train in plenty of time, so the need for storage facilities for bikes is obviously going to be low. Most people who take Bikes on trains tend to want them at both ends of their journey, so the argument to take up loads of room with extra bike stands in just ridiculous... if they try to embarrass St.Pancras in it's opening days they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves, there time would be much better spent camping outside the Mayor's offices complaining about the state of London's roads for cyclists in general; not to mention the damn bendy buses.
- Neil, Notting Hill
I am a regular cyclist - at least I am when train operators and stations provide facilities for me to do so!
The previous comment "If someone is going to make a journey on Eurostar either on business or leisure they are likely to have some luggage at least, and it is unlikely that they will arrive by bike." is just complete rubbish as any real cyclist would know. Pannier racks can easily accommodate enough luggage for a romantic weekend away in Paris, or a laptop and clothes for business. However whenever I try to use a bicycle for such purposes I am thwarted by Eurostar policies.
- Matthew Hart, London
I cycle regularly in London and know how tricky it can be. Surely there should be more provision at St Pancras as it increases the domestic services ? Thameslink, Midland Mainline and eventually High Speed Domestic. Seems a shame to pick on Eurostar as a target of the campaign. I doubt they have much say about the number of cycle stands and as Patrick says, doubtful how many Eurostar passengers are going to arrive or want to take their bike with them!
- Chris Taylor, Shoreditch
It's not "eminently reasonable" that a showcase transport development cannot get cycle parking right from the start - that's a disgrace. Let's hope they get it sorted out very soon. And why can't you take a bike on the Eurostar? It's not as if there's a shortage of space on board.
- Austen, London
I am a regular cyclist in London, however I find the decision to have only limited cycle parking at St Pancras eminently reasonable. If someone is going to make a journey on Eurostar either on business or leisure they are likely to have some luggage at least, and it is unlikely that they will arrive by bike.
- Patrick Griffin, Dalston
