Bike couriers using rail services

[broadgage]

Just to repeat again its not about the bike its the carrying of commercial goods on a passenger train. There must be some rule on this. Also I'm not having a go a cyclists or some young kid trying to earn a crust as a courier- the only issue I find adult cyclists cause me as a driver (kids, are well kids & a separate debate) are the amount of them who cycle along a platform delaying my dispatch.

I am not aware of any specific restriction on carrying goods commercially on a passenger train, whether on a bicycle or otherwise.
There of course restrictions on cycles in general, and on carrying dangerous goods, and on maximum weight of luggage, and some rather vague restrictions on size and number of articles.
Provided that these rules are followed, I see no reason to prohibit the practice.
Indeed it could be argued that the carrying of light and non hazardous deliveries by train and cycle should be encouraged in view of concerns regarding traffic congestion and motor vehicle emissions.
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If users of a JSA railcard are being paid to transport something, does that make them benefit fraudsters?

Yes, I think that use of a JSA railcard to transport goods for payment could constitute benefit fraud. Probably not easy to prove the payment bit though as distinct from "doing a mate a favour"

 

[AlterEgo]

Yes, I think that use of a JSA railcard to transport goods for payment could constitute benefit fraud. Probably not easy to prove the payment bit though as distinct from "doing a mate a favour"

It wouldn't be benefit fraud in and of itself, under the law.

 

[GarethJohn]

If there is a demand for carrying large commercial goods then maybe provision should be made; there could be a specified area - it could be called a guard's van - and it could also take a number of cycles. It would of course mean rebuilding all of the trains.........

If the items are large then then Courier would use their own Van wouldn't they. You don't see many Cycle Couriers delivering Three Piece Suites by train or otherwise.
And whats wrong with a Courier using Train to go about their Business everyone else is?

 

[HarleyDavidson]

I've slung one of these Deliveroo couriers out before now and had him ejected from the platform too with him protesting quite vocally about it and it was his right to use the train whenever he wanted, unfortunately it's not a good idea to cuss & swear and be generally obnoxious and odious when there's a couple of community support officers just around the back of the platform staff building.

Got thanked by several commuters too.

 

[broadgage]

I've slung one of these Deliveroo couriers out before now and had him ejected from the platform too with him protesting quite vocally about it and it was his right to use the train whenever he wanted, unfortunately it's not a good idea to cuss & swear and be generally obnoxious and odious when there's a couple of community support officers just around the back of the platform staff building.

Got thanked by several commuters too.

Presumably he was doing something wrong ? in which case your actions are to be commended.

 

[HarleyDavidson]

Yep. Breaching the cycle transit rules during the peak.

No cycles permitted between 1645 - 1900 departing London and none arriving into Waterloo between 0745-1000.

He attempted to use the 1750 Waterloo - Woking, one of the busiest trains in the peak period. What the barrier staff were thinking, letting the buffoon through the barrier line I really don't know.

The problem stations for bikes are Surbiton - West Byfleet, where they really can't understand that you're not allowed to board with a bike during the peak period.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Presumably he was doing something wrong ? in which case your actions are to be commended.

Sounds like he was acting aggressively.

One of the problems with couriers (be they cycle or van based ones) being paid per parcel is that it encourages aggressive use of the roads, which to me is not to be encouraged.

 

[JohnB57]

Yep. Breaching the cycle transit rules during the peak.

You railway people. You blame Breaching for everything!

 

[ainsworth74]

You railway people. You blame Breaching for everything!

That was Beeching! Beeching!

 

[jon0844]

With the removal of trolley services, perhaps we can order food from nearby restaurants and let Deliveroo bring it to your seat?!

Joking aside, Deliveroo has some pretty awful reviews from staff (not customers) and it reminds me a lot of Uber, where you have a new generation of startups becoming extremely rich and exploiting staff.. With the public (yes, us) endorsing such practices by giving them custom.

Sent from my S60 using Tapatalk

 

[racyrich]

Just to be clear about commercial use of a train. So a courier using a train to carry goods is not allowed? But his controller could sit on the train and run the business using his mobile and laptop (using train wifi too!). It's a strange world.

 

[Master29]

Just to be clear about commercial use of a train. So a courier using a train to carry goods is not allowed? But his controller could sit on the train and run the business using his mobile and laptop (using train wifi too!). It's a strange world.

True, but 20 guys or gals on their laptops are not as big a problem as 20 people with hand luggage sized fridges are they, not to mention the bikes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just to be clear about commercial use of a train. So a courier using a train to carry goods is not allowed?.

It is allowed.

 

[jopsuk]

Courier's carrying documents have used trains for years- really efficient way to get legal documents between (say) Cambridge and London is a courier with a messenger bag and a brompton. I can see though that the Deliveroo boxes are a potential issue, and anyway surely they should only be making short distance deliveries?

 

[maniacmartin]

I believe that there is no rule preventing Deliveroo etc using trains, as long as they obey the peak time cycle restrictions and the maximum luggage dimensions in the NRCoC that apply to everybody