Neil Williams wrote:
On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 13:02:13 +0100, Colin McKenzie
wrote:

The bike and wheelchair space should, of course, be flexible, with
tip-up seats.

In the Turbo- and Electrostar, or certainly all the versions of said
units I've come across, it *is*.

That said, there is a major benefit in *not* having flexible space, as
my experience is that people sitting on tip-up seats are reluctant to
move for a bicycle, so it ends up wedged in the vestibule anyway. In
the event that the train is busy and there is no bicycle on board,
there is more standing room. If it isn't busy, there's probably
enough seats anyway.

You obviously have a different view of flexible space. My view is
something more along th elines of that in the Oslo airport train
(Flytoget) where the flexible use space is not seated. but is an empty
space. For wheelchair users there could be a pair of flip down seats at
the door end of the space, provide 'bum rest' style seats which will be
above the height of chains etc., and then you have a space that copes
with pushchairs, suitcases, bicycles, tandems, wheelcharis, stuffed
hippos etc. and can be used to take more passengers during rush hour
than traditional seated accommodation.

...d

On 19 Jun 2005 11:02:18 -0700, "David Martin"
wrote:

You obviously have a different view of flexible space.

Sounds like I do; the typical British variant tends to include seats,
which in practice is not always a benefit.

I liked Merseyrail's approach pre-refurb, where they simply removed 4
seats from a pair of bays making a very wide bay, and fixed a
horizontal handrail in the middle. This space could then be used for
whatever was required. All that needed to be added was a bit of fixed
shock cord for holding bikes in place.

Neil

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Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
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