Belgium invited its citizens to take their bikes with them on vacations at the shore or in the woods, and it appears that too many of them accepted the deal, which provides for free transport on trains for the bikes.
The plan proved so popular that within days the complaints started piling up about bikes piling up on the trains and at stations. Passengers complained they couldn’t get on or off because doors or corridors were blocked, along with access to sanitary facilities with water and soap.
Once the free bike plan, announced for July 1st through December 31, went into effect, bicycle traffic on the trains jumped 80% above last year’s figures.
Belgian rail carrier SNCB has a two-part plan to relieve the problem. It’s running extra trains to the Ardennes and to the coastal beaches, and it’s instituting some restrictions, at least until August 30. There will be limited access to rush-hour trains, and riders will need to get a free “bicycle supplement” ticket at the station or online. That’s intended to let the railroad know what to expect, and to cut off tickets if there’s not enough space. Folding bicycles that can fit under a seat are exempt.
The company says the problem will be alleviated next year when its new trains arrive with more space organized for bicycles.
