WRITTEN QUESTION No. 903/96 by Nel van DIJK to the Commission. Bicycles on high-speed trains
Date: 1996-04-23
Institutions: European Parliament, VAN DIJK
Subjects: common transport policy, consumer protection, high-speed transport, means of public conveyance, rail transport, transport user, two-wheeled vehicle













EUR-Lex - 91996E0903 - EN






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91996E0903

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 903/96 by Nel van DIJK to the Commission. Bicycles on high-speed trains  


Official Journal C 345 , 15/11/1996 P. 0014 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0903/96 by Nel van Dijk (V) to the Commission (23 April 1996)Subject: Bicycles on high-speed trainsOf the two high-speed train prototypes for the Amsterdam-Cologne-Frankfurt route, both the Netherlands railways and the German railways chose a type of train (ICE 2.2M) which has no area reserved for transporting bicycles. At present there are facilities on EC trains for carrying bicycles, so this would be a retrograde step.It is even more remarkable as the need for intermodal transport is increasingly being recognized, an in the Green Paper by Commissioner Kinnock which states that the goal of a European transport policy 'must be the achievement of networks of public passenger systems which fit together so that passengers can change easily from train to bus to tram, from car or bike to public transport, which interconnect links long-distance and local transport'. The high-speed trains which form an important part of the Trans-European Networks now seem to be disregarding this goal.1. Does the Commission share my view that the railways' plan to dispense with facilities for transporting bicycles in future high-speed trains is at variance with the Commission's plans to set up transport networks in which various forms of transport can be combined?2. Does it share my view that such a move is unwise as long-term investment is involved and the importance of environmentally-friendly means of transport, including bicycles, is increasingly being recognized?3. Will it urge the European railways federation, the Netherlands railways and the German railways to amend the plans to provide adequate capacity for transporting bicycles in high-speed trains?Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (28 May 1996)The Commission believes it essential to develop integrated networks of passenger transport so that passengers can change easily from mode to mode. As the Honourable Member knows, this is a major theme of its green paper on the Citizens' Network ((COM(95) 601 final. )), which recognises the importance of integrating the use of bicycles with public transport. It is important that transport operators, including railway enterprises, pay greater attention to this dimension of transport. In this respect, Dutch railways should receive credit for their operation of bicycle centres at many railway stations.At the same time, the Community seeks to ensure the management independence of the railways precisely so that they can respond to customers' needs, improve their quality of service and raise their efficiency. Council Directive 91/440/EEC on the development of the Community railways ((OJ L 237, 24.8.1991. )) contains clear provisions on independent management, which the Commission considers to be essential to the future development of the railways. Consequently, while it has great sympathy for the Honourable Member's concerns and communicates its views about the desirability of making provision for bicycle carrying in railway trains, it considers that the relevant policy decisions are most appropriately left to railway management.