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Vehicle Technology & Alternative Drive

Cycles on Trams

Client: London Trams
End: 2007

London Trams as the body within Transport for London responsible for all (future and existing) tramway systems receives numerous queries concerning the possibility to carry cycles on the Croydon Tramlink system.

Currently cycle carriage is not allowed on Tramlink and there are fears both with the operator and within London Trams that cycle carriage should not be permitted due to the very high demand and resulting tram occupancy on Tramlink.

To assess this question in more detail, TTK looked at numerous existing tramway systems in Great Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany with at least similar demand figures to Tramlink.

The following systems were included in this study:

  • Croydon
  • Manchester
  • Paris
  • Bordeaux
  • Montpellier
  • Karlsruhe
  • Cologne
  • Freiburg
  • Basel

The operators of these systems were interviewed as to their experience concerning the carriage of cycles (and of course whether this was permitted at all).

Finally, a number of recommendations were made to London Trams:

  • Banning cycles cannot be justified by current off-peak demand alone;
  • A trial period should be fixed in which cycle carriage was allowed;
  • Wheelchairs come first (legal requirement), then prams, then cycles;
  • Cycle carriage off-peak only;
  • Cycle carriage should not be free;
  • Early discussions should be held with the safety authori-ties to discuss any potential concerns
Download E-2004 Cycles on Trams
Cycles on Trams

Assessment of the Feasibility to carry cycles on London Tram Systems