Replying to a few seperate things that have been raised upthread:
Regarding american buses, I always thought that the reason the bicycles were carried on the front and not the rear is so the driver is aware when and who is loading them, and can keep an eye on them to stop someone just stealing one at a red traffic light.
I actually tried to do things the railway’s way in the past and bought a Brompton folding bicycle. It was a huge mistake. It was very heavy and cumbersome to manoeuvre around the station, difficult to ride and had more than its fair share of mechanical problems. The riding experience is very clunky and unpleasant, and as such I don’t think this style of bicycle can ever be a solution.
I have been to the Netherlands and seem the bicycle parking there, but I have my doubts whether something like that would work here. I think unless the parking was properly secured and staffed, someone would come and steal your cycle, or your lights, wheels, or whatever wasn’t bolted down. It seems to be fair game in the UK that your bicycle components will get stolen, which is a huge factor in me cycling less, because it is fiddly and time consuming to remove GPS, lights etc and lock frame and both wheels. Maybe the dutch are just more honest?
Now, contrary to what I said before about only taking my bicycle by car and never by train, I decided to give it another go this weekend. I deliberately travelled by DOO services where I knew I wouldn’t have anyone denying me access and it worked out pretty well. There were more bicycles than allowed on board, but all the passengers shuffled things around and made it work. This was an outbound journey (returning a different day) and I had all of my luggage in panniers as I was using the bicycle for the ”final mile” (50 miles - thanks Beeching cuts) - something that wouldn’t work too well with cycle hire. I guess because it wasn’t a commute and I didn’t live there, I shouldn’t have been able to take my bicycle!? That seems a bit silly to me.