The first challenge is to determine whether or not the finding that 44 per cent of respondents to an online survey would take a bike on the light rail is actually sustainable.

Although the report boasts "more than 16,500 interactions with the public" all of its percentages are derived from just 432 voluntary responses to an online survey conducted by Capital Metro from June 30 to August 10.

While such surveys can, and often do, play a valuable role in pinpointing issues of interest and providing a snapshot of views within the community, only a reckless politician or bureaucrat would choose to use one as the basis on which a decision about the allocation of public funds was made.

Given the real likelihood of an overlap between participants in what Capital Metro describes as "Canberra's vibrant cycling culture" and the demographic arguably most inclined to lean towards light rail usage, the finding that about 15 per cent of respondents would likely take their bike on board the light rail carriages every day falls into the "not entirely unexpected" category.

The million dollar question, and one that appears to have the potential to add significantly to the light rail project cost, is whether or not these commendable statements of intent will move from words into deeds.

The irony inherent in a picture in the Capital Metro report of a cyclist travelling down Northbourne Avenue being tailed by an ACTION bus with an empty bike rack and bearing the caption: "44 per cent of respondents to the online survey said they would take a bike on light rail" is hard to ignore.

It has frequently been reported that despite having spent more than $400,000 on fitting bike racks to more than 80 per cent of its bus fleet, ACTION does not monitor their use. As a result it is extremely difficult, almost a decade after the initial fit-out in 2005, to determine whether or not the outlay provided value for money.

The only real usage data appears to be that collected by cycling advocacy group Pedal Power ACT in surveys at the Civic bus exchange in March 2006 and March 2007.

Pedal Power found that 37 per cent, or just over one third, of the buses fitted with the two-bike bike racks were carrying bicycles.

This seems an odd fit with the Capital Metro report findings which, if taken at face value, suggest up to one quarter of the survey respondents would want to take their bikes on the light rail during peak hour.

If this is, in fact, the case it would need to be factored into the planning for the light rail infrastructure at a very early stage. Until now no Australian light rail network has allowed full sized bicycles to be carried aboard trams or their equivalents.

Melburnians, for example, are limited to folding bicycles no more than 82cm long, 69cm high and 39cm wide despite enjoying a topography well suited to cycling and having access to a metropolis-spanning light rail network.

In Europe and America, where necessity and common sense have combined to produce a more cycle-friendly approach by major public transport operators, full sized bikes can be carried inside tram and light rail carriages and hanging hooks are usually provided for this purpose.

On the down side, the practice in cities as far apart and diverse as London, Cologne and Portland, Oregon seems to be for full-size bicycles to be permitted during off peak periods only.

The Rubicon that appears yet to be crossed, anywhere in the world, is how to carry bicycles aboard a tram during peak hour when the carriages are loaded to capacity with commuters.

This, according to Friday's Capital Metro report, appears to be the expectation of a large number of the people who have said they will be using the ACT light rail line.

Whether or not this desire can be met within the existing cost and infrastructure parameters remains to be seen.