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[email protected] · July 28th 10, 12:55 AM posted to uk.transport.london

In article
,
(Mizter T) wrote:

On Jul 27, 12:27*am, wrote:

(Mizter T) wrote:

On Jul 26, 9:43*pm, wrote:
[snip]
Huh? It seems to provide for main line rail stations from what
I've seen near King's Cross.

The official line seems to be that a decision was taken that the
mainline termini stations were not going to be directly catered for
by the hire scheme (at least not initially) because the potential
demand would have been too high, and it would have skewed the whole
system towards coping with that demand, or something like that.

But as you say, there are plenty of docking stations within fairly
close proximity to the termini stations, so those armed with a
little inclination and foreknowledge should be able to locate them
easily enough. Whether there'll be any available bikes at these
docking stations is another matter, and I can imagine there might
not be during the morning rush - however at other times it could
well be a different picture.

*If* there is a live status map online that shows availability at
docking stations, and *if* the prospective punter has a
net-connected mobile device, then they'd be able to check whether it
was worth them heading around the corner to the docking station on
arrival instead of getting on the Tube or bus for onward travel.

I can see I'm going to be monitoring things then!

You're thinking of perhaps using the scheme on a regular basis then
for your cross-town cycle commutes? Well, if you do, you can give us
plenty of first hand accounts of how it's all working out for you
then! As long as you're prepared for all sorts of things to go wrong -
I can imagine there may be a fair amount of turbulence to come.

And perhaps more to the point so long as you realise that the system
hasn't really been designed around catering for your prospective usage
(i.e. that of the longer distance rail commuter), and are prepared for
the potential ramifications thereof. I dare say there may be a few
tricks that one could pick up on over time, such as which slightly out
of the way docking stations are more likely to have bikes, and maybe
more crucially, which will have spaces for when you get to the far
end.

But you're not allowed to declare the end of the world just because
the Belgrove St docking station never has a bike for you in the
morning! ;-)

I have absolutely no intention of hiring a bike regularly but there may be
times when it would be helpful to avail myself of a hire bike, e.g. when
my own bike needs fixing or when I need to travel back to Cambridge
without a bike. The fact that my regular route passes the Belgrove St
docking station will be helpful in assessing the viability of this option
before committing myself, I hope.

The office end could be more problematic. The initial lack of the Smith
Square docking station will be unhelpful. I suppose I shall have to go via
Abbey Orchard St from time to time.

--
Colin Rosenstiel