It voted last night to write immediately to Transport Minister Lynne Kosky opposing the ban and asking her to exclude country train services from it.

It also plans to lead a delegation of other central Victorian councils to highlight the impacts on country travellers.

Cr Keith Reynard, who proposed the motion, argued the blanket ban across the state was a contradiction of government policies to promote public transport use, reduce reliance on cars and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

"This is a reaction to what is perceived to be an urban problem," he said.

Urban trains might be overcrowded and have no luggage space, Cr Reynard said, but country trains had specific bike storage areas.

He said the policy also sent a contradictory message to people conscientiously trying to combat global warming.

"People see travelling by train as a means to reduce reliance on cars and part of that is to have bicycles that fit in at both ends of the journey," Cr Reynard said.

He said he knew people who travelled from Castlemaine to Bendigo who would be left with little option but to resort to car travel if the ban was enforced.

Cr Julie Rivendell said increasing petrol costs and the congestion at the city end of the line had made train and bicycle combinations even more attractive for rail users.

"The problem is demand has outstripped the service," she said.

Cr Rivendell called for an exemption from the ban for all regional lines while the government worked on its longer-term problems of acquiring more rail carriages.

Cr Kevin Gibbins said the ban worked against the demonstrated health benefits of bicycle travel and Bendigo's proud reputation as a bicycle centre.

"We are trying to attract people here and one of the strongest attractions is the healthy lifestyle," he said.