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It needs government to make a rule that they have to carry complete bikes for a low fee - like £10
I think Le Shuttle has this, can’t recall the amount but there was something written into the terms when it first started that all bike travel on the service had to be under a certain amount. It’s pretty cheap for memory but I think there is some fucking around in terms of getting picked up by a van or something from somewhere in Folkestone. Think the times available are a bit shit as well.
jakemcree
honk
It was better pre-Brexit. Basically Brexit has fucked the tunnel from a passenger point of view.
They now need a lot more space at the stations because they need to do more passport checks. That means they can't run as many trains, but people still want to travel so the trains are full, and they have put the prices up to compensate.
Also full trains means they have more luggage, so less space for bulky stuff like carry-on bikes. I assume the 85cm is so that anything put in the rack at the end of the carriage won't stick out and block the gangway. I can't see any other reason.
With bikes they are paranoid about the VAT / import situation - me going to Belgium, buying a cheap bike and importing it. I don't know why they are more worried about it than the airlines but it seems they are. They are slowly bringing back the whole bike service, but making it stupidly expensive.
It needs government to make a rule that they have to carry complete bikes for a low fee - like £10. But I can't see that happening. Would have been more likely if it was all EU, the sort of thing the Commission would get involved in, but UK govt, not likely.