Bikes on buses - folding electric - allowed or not?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From web sites

Faresaver

Folding bicycles, which are safely and securely stowed in the designated luggage area in a suitable bag or box, are generally permitted onto our buses if the driver believes that there is sufficient luggage space available. Fixed-frame bicycles are generally not carried on our buses however.

First

Folding bicycles are welcome on board our buses, however we do ask that you fold them and place them in an appropriate space. For everyone?s comfort and safely, we ask you to make sure they?re not blocking the aisles or access to any seats.

However there are instances when it may not be possible to accept folding bikes, for example:
* If there isn?t enough space on the bus
* When your folding bicycle could make the inside of the bus or its seats dirty, or could cause discomfort to other customers
Due to space and safety considerations, standard non-folding bicycles cannot be carried on our buses.

Stagecoach

In some areas, you can take your bike on the bus. Please contact the local team in your area and they'll be happy to advise. However, if your bike folds up, can be stored in a suitable bag or box, can fit within the luggage pen on the bus, and you can lift it in and out yourself, it can be brought on at the driver's discretion.

A heated conversation elsewhere has suggested that electric assisted bikes are not allowed on buses - something to do with the batteries not being carried has been suggested.   But as I read it, the restrictions are to do with folding (or not) bikes and not whether they have a battery fitted - indeed, on Faresaver's rules of bag or box, if there's a battery restriction the driver would need to look in the bag to establish whether a particular cycle could be carried.

It strikes me that if you're not going to allow batteries to be carried on buses you're going to rule out pretty much all modern electronics ...

I will admit to a personal interest as I now ride a foldable electric cycle; no problem (outside lockdowns) taking it on the train - not tried it on the bus, though.

[CyclingSid]

... electric mobility scooters? Disability Discrimination Act?

[TaplowGreen]

... electric mobility scooters? Disability Discrimination Act?

How do you stow one safely on a busy bus?

[CyclingSid]

On buses in the Reading area you just drive them on.

[CyclingSid]

Apologies for any confusion (to myself and others). I sometimes am not clear on the demarcation between electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters. On reflection, I probably think it is an electric wheelchair if it has joystick control and a mobility scooter if it is steered by something akin to handlebars (or in some parts of Reading can be ridden down the road by two kids). There are mobility scooters that appear to be small enough to be folded down and put in the boot of a car, which I have seen on buses. There are some electric wheelchairs that are bigger then mobility scooters.

The main issue was that it is a machine with a large battery that can get on a bus.

[grahame]

Bikes on buses - an interesting but old post from Walk Ride Bath of a prototype / development test by First and a refusal on principle by the DVSA to allow it.

My last mail made it clear we do not on principle accept cycle racks on the front of British PSVs. If a VTP5 was submitted for this vehicle modification it would be refused because of the large number of sharp projections from the rack itself as well as any cycles carried increasing the risk of injury in a pedestrian impact. As a secondary issue I consider the view to the front will be seriously compromised towards the nearside pavement where we want drivers to have a clear view of any relatively short people including children at the kerbside.

I have mirrored the full article at http://www.passenger.chat/FrontofBusCycleRacks.pdf to ensure we have it for posterity; a very interesting discussion lead.  Thanks to Jordan Curran's post on the Somerset Catch the Bus Campaign for bringing it to wider attention.

[broadgage]

Decades ago, almost every bus company had a rule against carrying "accumulators".
For the benefit of our younger members these were glass cased lead acid cells of 2 volts, used to provide the "low tension" supply to ones valve wireless.
They had to be taken, usually weekly, to the radio shop or sometimes the bicycle shop or motor car workshop to be recharged.
It was reasonable to prohibit carriage by bus, 2 volts, or the less common 4 volts, was harmless from a strictly electrical point of view. The risk was the tipping over of the battery and spilling the acid, or dropping it and the glass breaking.
Shopping baskets were made with a special compartment to conceal ones accumulator  carry cleaning products separated from food stuffs/protect eggs from breakage.

Such rules probably still exist, and someone may have over interpreted them as prohibiting battery powered cycles. A bit pointless as they allow cordless power tools and laptop PCs.
There is a culture amongst some bus companies and among some bus drivers that likes rules for their own sake.