Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 12:55 28 Mar 2024
* Man held over stabbing in front of train passengers
- How do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?
- Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
28th Mar (1988)
Formal end to carrying coffins by BR (link)

Train RunningCancelled
10:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
11:16 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
11:23 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
11:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
11:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
Additional 12:07 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester
12:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
13:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
13:26 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
09:30 Weymouth to Gloucester
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
10:55 Paignton to London Paddington
11:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
11:41 Bristol Temple Meads to Salisbury
11:48 London Paddington to Carmarthen
12:03 London Paddington to Penzance
12:12 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
12:32 Exeter Central to Okehampton
12:46 Avonmouth to Weston-Super-Mare
13:03 London Paddington to Plymouth
13:07 Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads
13:10 Gloucester to Weymouth
13:26 Okehampton to Exeter Central
16:19 Carmarthen to London Paddington
Delayed
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
10:23 Portsmouth Harbour to Cardiff Central
11:29 Weymouth to Gloucester
11:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
12:27 Okehampton to Exeter Central
12:28 Plymouth to Gunnislake
12:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
14:30 Cardiff Central to Portsmouth Harbour
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 28, 2024, 12:58:56 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[151] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[85] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[58] Return of the BRUTE?
[49] If not HS2 to Manchester, how will traffic be carried?
[46] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[36] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
 
News: the Great Western Coffee Shop ... keeping you up to date with travel around the South West
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Cycles to / from Heathrow  (Read 6159 times)
CJB666
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 210


View Profile
« on: June 07, 2018, 09:42:44 »

It has long been an issue that you can't cycle to / from the central area of Heathrow. The side entrance tunnels have long been blocked off, and cycles are banned from the two main traffic tunnels.

Whilst it may be possible to catch the HCon service, since the TfL» (Transport for London - about) take-over, this is now so unreliable, being cancelled at every whim, that cyclists would be stupid to rely on it.

The new TfL trains still can't get into Heathrow due to defective signalling systems that no-one can solve.

HEX is grossly over-expensive for what it is - does it take cycles - if at all?

And do the inter-terminal shuttles - HEX and HCon - take cycles?.

Heathrow - the 100% foreign-owned 'duty-free' hypermarket with a sideline in air transport - has now been granted the third runway; but one of the requirements is to improve public transport to / from the Airport.

If current provisions for cyclists are anything to go by there's still a lot of improvements required.

So how can cyclists get to / from the Airport - cheaply?
« Last Edit: June 07, 2018, 09:53:20 by CJB666 » Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2018, 12:25:59 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. Why would you cycle as you can't carry sensibly any amount of baggage sufficient to be useful, like overnight bags or larger.

They are also a security risk as explosives can be packed into their frame. I suspect that is the real reason.
Logged
IndustryInsider
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 10095


View Profile
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2018, 13:14:29 »

You can fit a surprising amount in a couple of pannier's, Chris, though I do take your general point.   Wink
Logged

To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
patch38
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 653


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2018, 13:47:11 »

Echoing CJB's question; what happens if you arrive at T2 or T3 with your bike and panniers in the hold, all set for a pleasant cycling tour of our lovely country? How  do you get out of the central area? Presumably one of the bus shuttles will take bikes? Not a problem for T4 or T5 of course.
Logged
CJB666
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 210


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2018, 13:55:38 »

The cyclists are of course staff or intending tourists on a cycling holiday overseas. Actually I am also asking because I want to fly to New Zealand next Christmas for an extended tour of both Islands.
Logged
ChrisB
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 12334


View Profile Email
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2018, 14:29:55 »

In whih case, your bikes will go as freight and you won't be chec,king them in, I think, but delivering them to a freight handler.

Or carrying them as they'll need to be boxed up
Logged
Surrey 455
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1229


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2018, 10:16:38 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. Why would you cycle as you can't carry sensibly any amount of baggage sufficient to be useful, like overnight bags or larger.

They are also a security risk as explosives can be packed into their frame. I suspect that is the real reason.

I used to cycle or walk through that tunnel and it was very convenient when I worked there. I think the airport provided a free shuttle bus for cyclists and pedestrians when it closed but that has been replaced by free travel on local buses for those on foot into the airport now. I have no idea what cyclists (normally airport workers) do now. With the reconstruction of T2 and closure of T1 I'm sure the cycle storage area in between that I used is probably not there any more.
Logged
stuving
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 7155


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2018, 12:04:50 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. Why would you cycle as you can't carry sensibly any amount of baggage sufficient to be useful, like overnight bags or larger.

They are also a security risk as explosives can be packed into their frame. I suspect that is the real reason.

I used to cycle or walk through that tunnel and it was very convenient when I worked there. I think the airport provided a free shuttle bus for cyclists and pedestrians when it closed but that has been replaced by free travel on local buses for those on foot into the airport now. I have no idea what cyclists (normally airport workers) do now. With the reconstruction of T2 and closure of T1 I'm sure the cycle storage area in between that I used is probably not there any more.


I just had a look at Heathrow's websites, starting with the recruitment one. That adopts HAL's current slogan of "making every journey better" in various guises, using "your journey" for the process of getting a job. But even in the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) under the "your journey" tab there's nothing about travel to work! All I found was the advice to leave plenty of time when going for interview, though that  would be to Compass House which is outside the airport perimeter.

One the main site they now have a journey planner. That does offer cycle as a mode, and giving it Hayes to T2 it sends you down the obvious road routes and through the tunnel. But then, at the bottom of the "details" page, there's an orange warning that says "Bicycling directions are in beta. Use caution – This route may contain streets that aren't suited for bicycling."

But I'm sure in the past I have found advice for employees about their travel to Heathrow, so it may still be hiding somewhere.
« Last Edit: June 09, 2018, 12:23:44 by stuving » Logged
Richard Fairhurst
Global Moderator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1204


View Profile Email
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2018, 12:53:30 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. Why would you cycle as you can't carry sensibly any amount of baggage sufficient to be useful, like overnight bags or larger.

Of course you can! Thousands of cycle tourists carry tents, sleeping bags, panniers upon panniers. Have a look at the travelogues over at crazyguyonabike.com for examples - the top journal at the time of writing was https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1mr&page_id=542429&v=KU, which is a good example.

Cycling out of Heathrow comes up regularly on bike touring forums such as CGOAB. Generally the best options are either Heathrow Connect (or the Sweaty Betty Line or whatever it is this week), or one of the express coaches: both RailAir and the Oxford Airline take bikes. These have the added advantage for the cycle tourist that they speed you out of the West London suburbs and closer to enjoyable cycling territory.
Logged
CJB666
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 210


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: June 10, 2018, 05:05:20 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. Why would you cycle as you can't carry sensibly any amount of baggage sufficient to be useful, like overnight bags or larger.

Sweaty Betty Line

 = Tin Lizzie Line
Logged
grahame
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 40690



View Profile WWW Email
« Reply #10 on: June 10, 2018, 05:47:23 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. [snip]
Of course you can! Thousands of cycle tourists carry tents, sleeping bags, panniers upon panniers. [snip]

What about walking to Heathrow if you live on the periphery?

I recall talking with a chap who was on one of our courses a number of years back ... and he was taking a flying visit - literally - so see his mum that weekend.

Me:   "How will you get from the airport - will she pick you up?"
He:   "I will walk"

Turns out she lived in a cottage about 400 yards from the terminal (I suspect there is just one terminal) at Benbecula.
Logged

Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
martyjon
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1941


View Profile
« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2018, 06:59:25 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. [snip]
Of course you can! Thousands of cycle tourists carry tents, sleeping bags, panniers upon panniers. [snip]
What about walking to Heathrow if you live on the periphery?
I recall talking with a chap who was on one of our courses a number of years back ... and he was taking a flying visit - literally - so see his mum that weekend.
Me:   "How will you get from the airport - will she pick you up?"
He:   "I will walk"
Turns out she lived in a cottage about 400 yards from the terminal (I suspect there is just one terminal) at Benbecula.

A while ago when I was in Australia I landed at Uluru and walking from the aircraft to the terminal building passengers passed a well maintained garden with trees and tropical plants and a wooden entrance gate proclaiming "PRIVATE" and within the trees a beautiful homestead bungalow could be seen which happened to be the Airport Managers "tied cottage".
Logged
Surrey 455
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 1229


View Profile
« Reply #12 on: June 10, 2018, 20:57:39 »

They can't - and frankly, the purpose of Heathrow is to fly. There is free transport laid on for employees there. [snip]
Of course you can! Thousands of cycle tourists carry tents, sleeping bags, panniers upon panniers. [snip]

What about walking to Heathrow if you live on the periphery?

I recall talking with a chap who was on one of our courses a number of years back ... and he was taking a flying visit - literally - so see his mum that weekend.

Me:   "How will you get from the airport - will she pick you up?"
He:   "I will walk"

Turns out she lived in a cottage about 400 yards from the terminal (I suspect there is just one terminal) at Benbecula.

You can walk or cycle to Terminals 4 and 5 as they are on the perimeter but access to T2 and T3 is currently not possible. You can park your bike at Heathrow Academy which is on the northern perimeter and then take a free bus into the central area.

Cycle parking
There is currently no direct cycle route to Terminals 2 and 3 due to construction work to the main road tunnel. Bicycles can be parked in racks at the Heathrow Cycle Hub, where free local buses operate to the terminals.

View bus route map  (155KB)
Free cycle parking is available at:

Terminals 2 and 3: The Cycle Hub, Heathrow Academy, Newall Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW6 2AP
Terminal 4: Cycle parking is opposite the arrivals forecourt
Terminal 5: Cycle parks are provided at either end of the terminal building.
Bikes can also be safely stored in the left baggage office for up to 90 days.

Please note that for security reasons, bicycles will be removed if not parked in the designated areas.

View map of Heathrow cycle parks  (1.6MB PDF)
Logged
Bmblbzzz
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 4256


View Profile
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2018, 16:27:24 »

Quote
Cycle parking
There is currently no direct cycle route to Terminals 2 and 3 due to construction work to the main road tunnel. Bicycles can be parked in racks at the Heathrow Cycle Hub, where free local buses operate to the terminals.

View bus route map  (155KB)
Free cycle parking is available at:

Terminals 2 and 3: The Cycle Hub, Heathrow Academy, Newall Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW6 2AP
Terminal 4: Cycle parking is opposite the arrivals forecourt
Terminal 5: Cycle parks are provided at either end of the terminal building.
Bikes can also be safely stored in the left baggage office for up to 90 days.

Please note that for security reasons, bicycles will be removed if not parked in the designated areas.
https://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/cycling
Logged

Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page