Bicycle Network: Better Transport

New guidelines to improve bike access at railway stations

25 June 2012 Public Transport Victoria has been directed to adopt new Design Guidelines and Principles that will ensure accessibility for bikes at future railway stations is much improved.

The guidelines were formulated by a specialist User Panel, appointed in May 2011, of which Bicycle Network Victoria was a member. The User Panel was set up by Transport Minister Terry Mulder as a direct response to the recent poor design of new stations at Laverton, Westall and Watergardens where the installation of steps and lifts made access exceptionally difficult for bicycle users.

The User Panel considered conditions at the Westall Station before it was redeveloped where three nearby level crossings allowed easy access for pedestrians and bike riders. But access was ruined during a redevelopment when replaced by steps and lifts and, to make matters worse, changes seemed to have been made despite there being no evidence that they were even needed to improve safety. The panel also looked at issues at Laverton Station where Parkiteer cages were installed on both the north and south station entries. With most of the Parkiteer users coming from the southern side of the station, the south cage was soon well over its 26 bike capacity and yet the northern cage remained under-utilised because it was so difficult to access via a lift.

The Design Guidelines and Principles will be used to guide access at the new Wyndham Vale and Tarneit Stations. Bicycle Network Victoria has seen the designs for these stations and they are much improved.

The Design Guidelines and Principles can be seen here

Information on the Panel is available here