Cycling by train

A guide to using our services and facilities

From May 2013

www.rstgreatwestern.co.uk

Welcome Welcome to the First Great Western guide to cycling by train, the purpose of which is to explain our policy regarding the parking of bikes at our stations and the carriage of them on our trains. Whilst we have ample parking space for bikes at the vast majority of our stations, space on our trains for them is more limited. This guide should help you plan your journey so that it is as convenient and enjoyable for you as possible.

Reservations Reservations can be made on all high speed services between London and the following areas:

Bristol Oxford

Cheltenham Spa South Wales

Devon & Cornwall Worcester & Hereford

Cycle storage at stations Most of our stations have dedicated cycle storage facilities and larger stations benet from sheltered and CCTV-monitored areas. When leaving your bike at the station please ensure you take all of the removable items, such as lights, computer and panniers, with you and lock your bike securely. If you leave your panniers on your bike then we reserve the right to search these in the interests of security. Some stations have bike lockers and we reserve the right to periodically search these too. We undertake regular audits of our cycle storage facilities and will identify and remove any bikes that have been abandoned. We cannot be held responsible for the theft of your bike or the loss of any items taken from it.

They can also be made on services between Cardiff Central, Bristol Temple Meads and the South Coast of England. Reservations are available to holders of valid rail tickets only and can be made through our website at www.rstgreatwestern.co.uk, by visiting your nearest staffed station or by calling 08457 000 125 between 0700-2200. There is no charge for reserving for your bike and you should try to do so as early as possible, though they can be made up to one hour before the departure of your train subject to space being available. If you reserve by telephone then your tickets can be posted to you or you can collect them from your nearest staffed station.

Travelling without a reservation Planning your journey Plan ahead to ensure you can take your bike on your preferred service. See the Types of trains and restrictions section for details or speak to a member of staff. Make a reservation if it is possible to do so. These are made on a rst-come rst-served basis until all space is full. Check whether there is any rail improvement work taking place which will affect your journey as conventional cycles cannot be conveyed on rail replacement bus services. Spaces which have not been reserved will be allocated on a rst-come rstserved basis and this policy also applies to space on train services where reservations in advance are not available. In the event of train cancellations or severe delays of one hour or longer, you will be entitled to travel on an alternative service subject to space being available. Please retain all documentation as proof of any reservations you have made. In accordance with the National Conditions of Carriage, our staff have the right to refuse an unreserved bike if there is not enough space to carry it safely.

At the station If you are travelling with your bike please arrive at the station in good time. You may have to use ticket gates, a footbridge or a lift and the station may also be very busy. We recommend you are in position on the platform at least ve minutes before your train is due to depart. Please turn off your lights when on the station premises - an unidentied bright light could interfere with the safe running of our trains.

Cycling is not permitted anywhere on the station. In the interests of safety please walk with your bike at all times.

List of stations with short platforms: Ashchurch for Tewkesbury Bedwyn Bodmin Parkway Bradford-on-Avon Bridgwater
Camborne Castle Cary Charlbury Cholsey

Ivybridge Kemble Keynsham Kidwelly Kingham Kintbury Ledbury Liskeard Llanelli Lostwithiel Maidenhead Malvern Link Manorbier Moreton-in-Marsh Nailsea & Backwell Pangbourne Par Pembrey & Burry Port Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pershore Pewsey Redruth Saltash Saundersfoot

Shipton Slough St Austell St Erth St Germans Starcross Stonehouse Stroud Teignmouth Tenby Thatcham Theale Tilehurst Torre Totnes Trowbridge Truro Twyford Westbury Weston Milton Whitland Worcester Foregate Street Worle Yatton

If there are ticket gates then you should use the wide staff-operated gate.

Colwall Dawlish Dawlish Warren

Boarding the train Please advise station staff that you intend to board with your bike. Our staff will advise you where you should stand in order to ensure your bike is loaded correctly and safely onto your train. At unstaffed stations, blue signs on platforms indicate the usual position of the cycle storage facility on-board our high speed trains. At unstaffed stations the Train Manager or Conductor will help direct you to the appropriate place when the train arrives.

Devonport Evesham Exeter St Thomas Ferryside Filton Abbey Wood Frome Goring & Streatley Great Malvern

Stations with short platforms Some stations have short platforms and it may not be possible to access the designated cycle storage area when the train is in the station. If you intend to leave the train at any of these stations then please inform the Train Manager who will give you the opportunity to move your bike to another part of the train before arrival. If you wish to board at any of these stations then you should load your bike into the coach vestibule and then locate the Train Manager who will give you the opportunity to move your bike to the designated area when suitable to do so.

Hanborough Hayle Highbridge Honeybourne Hungerford

On the train Bikes must only be stored in the designated areas which are marked by a blue circle bearing a white bike. (Not applicable to our Turbo eet of trains)

High speed trains

High Speed Train Cycle Loading Point

Bikes left in doorways or which are causing other obstructions will be moved to the correct area of the train. You should secure your bike to prevent it from falling over but you must not lock it to any part of the train. You should ensure you take all of the removable items, such as lights, computer and panniers, with you as we cannot be held responsible for their loss or damage. Inform the Train Manager or Conductor of your nal destination so that they can ensure you are able to leave the train safely. In the event that you are not prepared to leave at your station then we retain the right to continue the journey without removing your bike so as not to incur delays.

Capacity: 6 bikes Storage: In the power car, next to coach A. Reservations: Possible Travelling to London Paddington (excludes services originating at Frome or Westbury) Reservations are compulsory on all high speed trains services arriving in London Paddington between 0700-1000 inclusive Travelling from London Paddington (excludes services terminating at Westbury or Frome) Reservations are compulsory on all high speed trains services departing London Paddington between 1500-1900 inclusive. Travelling to London Paddington on services originating at Frome or Westbury Reservations are compulsory on all high speed trains services. In addition, on services arriving in London Paddington between 0745-0945 inclusive cycles may only be loaded or unloaded at Newbury, Reading and London Paddington Travelling from London Paddington on services terminating at Westbury or Frome Reservations are compulsory on all high speed trains services. In addition, on services departing London Paddington between 1630-1900 inclusive cycles may only be loaded or unloaded at London Paddington, Reading and Newbury.

Types of trains and restrictions Due to the high level of demand on many of our services it is necessary to apply some restrictions to ensure the safety and comfort of all customers. Note that peak-time restrictions only apply on Mondays to Fridays and exclude Bank Holidays.

Local services in the Reading area Turbo trains (Class 165/166)

Local services between London Paddington and Oxford Turbo Trains (class 165/166) - see previous page for information on this class. Services operated by class 180

Capacity: 2 bikes Storage: Inside passenger saloon. Reservations: It is not possible to reserve bikes on these trains. Travelling to London Paddington You may not take your bike on any service timed to arrive at London Paddington between 0745-0945 Travelling from London Paddington You may not take your bike on any service timed to depart from London Paddington between 1630-1900 Travelling from Wokingham to Reading You may not take your bike on any service timed to arrive at Reading between 0745-0945 Travelling from Reading to Wokingham You may not take your bike on any service timed to depart from Reading between 1630-1900 To London Paddington 0607 from Banbury 0700 from Oxford 0721 from Oxford 0728 from Banbury Other services operated by class 180 We are unable to carry conventional bikes on the 0609 Newbury to London Paddington service Capacity: 6 bikes 3 at each end of the train Storage: At end of the train, between passenger saloon and driving cab Reservations: Possible We are unable to carry conventional bikes on the following trains on this route: From London Paddington 1718 to Oxford 1736 to Oxford 1725 to Banbury 1815 to Oxford 1818 to Oxford 1825 to Oxford

Local services in the west (Class 143, 150, 153 and 158)

Other types of bikes or vehicles Folding bikes, with a maximum wheel size of 18 inches in diameter, are permitted on any service on any day. Please fold your bike down and store it in the luggage rack. Folding bikes with bigger wheels than specied above are treated as conventional bikes on First Great Western. Tandems can only be carried on high speed trains. Due to the limited amount of space at our disposal and in the interests of safety, we are unable to carry any of the following:

Capacity: 2 bikes Storage: Inside passenger saloon. Look for cycle storage icon on the side of the train Reservations: Possible on some services between Cardiff and Portsmouth and between Bristol Temple Meads and Penzance

Non-folding tricycles Other three-wheeled vehicles Rann type trailers Motorcycles Mopeds Motorised cycles Scooters Brompton Dock A scheme is in place at Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter St Davids and Oxford stations, with more locations coming online in the future, which provides members with 24-hour access to a Brompton folding bike. Folding bikes can be taken on trains and other forms of public transport, even during peak times and these bikes can also be stored at home easily, in the ofce or folded in to the boot of a car. Available on both short and long term hire, the bikes aim to suit everyones needs and provide a exible, practical and fun approach to travelling with a bike. To take advantage of this scheme you rst must register online at www.bromptondock.co.uk and then you can use text messages to hire or return a bike, reserve a bike or empty bay in advance or report a fault. Bike repair Facilities are available at Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford stations where you can leave your bike with qualied bicycle mechanics that will carry out repairs or maintenance. Ask a member of staff for details. Feedback We hope you have found this guide useful and informative. Please contact our Customer Services Team, details of which can be found on the rear cover, if you have any comments about this or any other of our products or services.

Weekends and Bank Holidays Bikes are accepted on all trains at weekends and on bank Holidays, subject to the normal capacity restrictions. Reservations are not compulsory on these days but we recommend you make them if it is possible to do so in order to avoid disappointment. Rail improvement work and rail replacement buses From time to time, particularly at weekends, it is necessary to carry out rail improvement work or maintenance to the railway infrastructure. In the event that trains are replaced by buses conventional or non-folding bikes cannot be conveyed.

For more information

First Great Western
For tickets, information, real-time updates and offers visit:

www.rstgreatwestern.co.uk
or call us on 08457 000 125* (Open between 0700-2200 daily) Like us on facebook.com/rstgreatwestern Follow us @FGW to keep up to date with real-time updates Text FGW to 86688 to download our app to purchase tickets & to check live train times
*Standard network charges apply. Calls from mobiles may be higher. Standard text message charges apply.

Dont miss out on all the latest offers, special deals and news from First Great Western. Register your email address now at

www.rstgreatwestern.co.uk/enews

National Rail Enquiries

www.nationalrail.co.uk 08457 48 49 50
For train times and fares Daily, 24 hours, calls may be recorded Correct at time of print (May 2013)

Cycling groups
CTC
The national body for all cyclists

www.ctc.org.uk 0844 736 8450

Sustrans
The sustainable charity working to promote walking, cycling and public transport use

www.sustrans.org.uk 0845 113 0065

313635/07