Bikes on trains

Why do the years roll by without this problem being solved? I tried to book my ticket back home many weeks ago on the internet but couldn't book a bike. I called by phone and couldn't book that way either. I had to go to the station in person. In the elapsed time (3 days) the ticket price had gone up by £34. In person I could only book the Thurso-Inverness section.
Adrian couldn't get his bike booked on the train I was booked on because 'there was no space'. It turned out that my bike was the only one on the train all the way to Inverness.
When I got to Inverness I met up with James who had left Thurso with Adrian 2 hours before me. They wouldn't let him on the train because he had no bike reservation. There was space but he didn't have a reservation. He could get on but not with his bike. He could have taken the wheels off and put it in a dustbin bag as 'luggage' but it couldn't go on as 'a bike'. He asked for a reservation on the next train which went in 2 hours but was told that that was not possible because you need to make bike reservations at least 3 hours in advance.
At this point he lost his rag and asked to see the station manager. In the end he did get a reservation on the next train but could not now get through to Cheltenham today. His mum will have to come and collect him from Birmingham New Street (=3 hour round trip).
I benefitted from James' misfortune. We went through the barrier together and James whispered 'folder' in my ear. 'Cycle reservation?' I was asked. 'It's a folder' I said. I am sure the ticket inspector knew I was lying but he let me through. Ours were the only two bikes on the train for the whole journey.
Why are cyclists made to feel so uncomfortable when they try to use the train?

Comments

[Rob Gullen (of Rob & Joe infamy)]

Firstly - well done, sorry I missed you at Stratford as you seem to have had to some non-NCN catching up!

The train!!! - our saga is well-documented when we did the E2E ... our last couple of Boys' Outing we have sent to the last B&B a "bike bag" which consists of a sheet of black garden fleece and roll of tape to convert a bike to "luggage" .... we haven't had to use it, but one day??

... and the MacRide on Sunday 9 Sept had nearly 400 riders, still counting the money but well into 5 figures.

Rob

==

You're right Rob we did have to do some non-NCN catching up. I ended up doing about 55% of the ride on the NCN and learnt a lot about the NCN in the process (to be written up). Well done on the Mac Ride. I did contyribute through a colleague at work who participated. A really good cause which our family has benefitted from directly.

With best wishes

Simon

[monetary consulting]

Your initial impression might be that he is direct and, most importantly, fast.

[Rob]

What with lip service being made to a greener future (funny how it's always future), it seems very odd that train companies are allowed to get away with this disgraceful treatment of cyclists. How difficult can it be to organise this in a more customer friendly way. Obviously there is no will to do so.

I really do not understand why a commitment to carry bicycles, and provision made for them on EVERY train, is not a condition of gaining a franchise in the first place.

Just look at how easy it is for cyclists in Switzerland - it can be done.