Greater Anglia new rules on bikes - discriminatory?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the Eastern Daily Press

An epilepsy sufferer could struggle to get to work on time when new rules are introduced that only allow four cycles on Greater Anglia trains.

It strikes me able bodied people who cycle to their home station, take their cycle on the train, then cycle to work at the far end could equally struggle with the new rules (if they are enforced and the limits are hit).   And in practise Greater Anglia is rather behind the curve here - other operators have introduced cycle limits already.

Claire Murray, from Roughton, near Cromer, cannot drive because of her condition, and is completely reliant on public transport to get to and from her work at the North Walsham Cottage Hospital.

The 40-year-old, who is single and lives in Carr Lane, Roughton, said: “I need my bike to cycle to and from the station to ensure I arrive at work on time and then catch the return train home.

“Greater Anglia will only be letting four bikes on a train at any one time from March 1, so I might have to wait an hour for the next train, which might already have four bikes on board.

“At present more than four bikes can be taken on the trains.

“I also feel it’s discriminating to people like myself who have a disability.”

She has also been told that she cannot reserve cycle spaces which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Miss Murray gets the 7.33am train from Roughton Road station and the 4.13pm from North Walsham home during the week, and pays a £4.90 daily fare.

[Bob_Blakey]

An epileptic condition which prevents said individual from driving but not cycling? I have absolutely no experience of epilepsy, but would have thought the condition could render both these activities potentially problematic. If that is not the case then why not go the whole way by bike - 6 1/2 miles along the relatively flat A149 would equate to around 30-35 minutes for an average cyclist.
In any event would a folding bicycle not resolve the issue? Or have GA^▸ (Greater Anglia) decided to be completely unreasonable (I haven't read the details of the new GA cycle policy).
I do however believe that where train companies restrict the number of bicycles that will be carried on specified services the spaces should always be reservable in advance (with an appropriate penalty for a 'no show').
 

[Bmblbzzz]

Epilepsy is one of a number of medical conditions which legally disbars an individual from holding a driving licence.

[rogerw]

According to Google Maps it is about 7 miles and would take 35 minutes.  It says the ride to Cromer station takes about 20 minutes. So an extra 15 minutes each way and save £4.90 and some time.

[grahame]

Researching this ... very interesting article on the rules and sense of driving and cycling with epilepsy: https://pushbikes.org.uk/blog/cycling-epilepsy - not sure I want to selectively quote or attempt to summarise here.