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DUBLIN BIKES, THE system of shared short-term bike hires in the capital, is set to be expanded to the suburbs.
At a meeting of Dublin City Council last night, agreement was reached on sites for four new metropoles (double-sided advertising hoardings) in the south Dublin area which will be used to fund the expansion.
Labour councillor Andrew Montague has professed himself “delighted” with the news, and said he hopes the expansion will be in place “before next summer”.
The move will see new bike berths popping up in areas such as Finglas, Ballymun, Ballyfermot, and Terenure. The exact placings for the new terminals have not yet been finalised.
“It’s very hard to find places to put advertising,” says Montague (the four metropoles will be applied in the region of Donnybrook Village).
Getting the sites is challenging. But I think we have to be a bit more ambitious. WE have 1,500 bikes at present, we should really have 10,000 and be expanded to the other councils outside the city.
The government won’t pay for this, so I think we need to advertise more, get more signs, and make it happen.
South Dublin councillor for Fine Gael Paddy Smyth echoed Montague’s delight at the decision, although he sounded a note of condemnation that the scheme has to be funded by advertising at all.
“It’s all good news really, if I had one problem it’s that advertising is being neglected at Luas and Dart stops,” he said.
But my issue with the whole process comes back to cycling and how it is prioritised. When it came to the Luas expansion, if it was expected to be funded in this way, by advertising, you’d have been laughed out of the place.
Cycling always seems to ‘suck hind teat’ when it comes to public funding. But it is public transport. It should be treated that way.
Will they be adding bike stations at The Coombe and Our Lady’s Hospital it would make sense for visitors and staff.
@Mick McGuinness:
Jesus!!!!!
8500 more bikes to crash the lights, travel the wrong way down one way streets, cycling on footpaths, hurling foul mouthed abuse when challenged, no hands texting, ear phones plugged in so can’t hear what’s going on around them, no helmets, the sooner the council put number plates on these bikes the better. They have their card details and know who is on the bike when offence committed. The rules of the road are for all road users.
8500 less people in cars, motorbikes and busses, congesting the streets, emitting smelly fumes, causing crashes, knocking down pedestrians amber gambling, revving engines and beeping horns.
Careful now, you can’t be criticising cyclists. They are all saints who are saving the planet and cannot be expected to obey rules like us mere mortals.
@Mick McGuinness: well said crumlin rd cork street is one of the biggest arteries into the city but no dublinbike station, its downright discrimination d4 d6 are awash with stations. Time for our public reps in south central to earn their corn dolphins barn had plenty of scope to accomodate stations.
Same oul tripe being wheeled out by people that honestly believe cyclists, Drivers and pedestrians are different people…
@Alan Cooke: cars parked on footpath, texting/on the phone while driving,driving while tired, speeding,Failure to yield the right of way to cyclists, and many more.
@Maurice Slater
Try crossing at any pedestrian light in the city. Try walking on a footpath where those city bike stations are located. You must be one of the cyclists who abuses the rules of the road and footpaths if that’s your attitude. Put reg plates on the corpo bikes and fine those who abuse the rules of the road. It’s not as if it’s new legislation, enforce what’s there.
@Alan Cooke:calm down Alan no need for journal rage, don’t have a bike, i walk to work,
If only they would. Small % of cyclists giving the rest a bad name. I’d love if Gardai took bikes off offenders and only gave them back after the paid the Fixed Penalty. If they don’t collect the Dublin Bike then hold it until Dublin Bikes charges them €140 for not returning it within 24 hours.
Wish they put 50-like stations in Rathmnines, this will be complete success I’m sure.
Great news for us here in Ballyfermot. I don’t think a lot of people give us enough credit but the area is really coming on and we’re so close to the city that more and more people are seeing it as a great place to come and live. This is a huge bonus for those people.
Fantastic news! The more the better
Great scheme !!
Wouldn’t it be much better to put in bicycle lanes first to protect the cyclist and the car driver from the cyclists.Cyclists need to improve their road manners and stop breaking lights and get lights on their bikes front and back. There should be more prosecutions but nothing has is being done. Car and motorcyclists have to pay huge premiums in insurance.tax nct. How come cyclists can do what they want?As for those rickshaws in dublin.They are getting more aggressive by the day,breaking lights,going up one way streets,and they have passengers on board.its a joke.
@Gerry Fallon. DCC are waiting for a few people to get killed in a crash with a rickshaw before they ban them. It’s the Irish way of doing things.
Gerry I was going to reply to you , but then realised that you are not worth the bother. #SameOldAntiCyclingCrap
Brian I couldn’t give a fiddlers what you think.but what a stupid statement! Peddle off your bike now like a good little man!
And by the way Brian I’m a keen cyclist but I obey the rules of the road ok.
Well done Gerry, you do what a vast number of cyclists including myself do, but what has that got to do with insurance NCT and TAX ? That argument is very weak and very boring.
At this should stage it’s just white noise in the background that makes people tune out to you
Brian it’s every thing to do with insurance. If I knock a cyclist down my insurance is affected ok.dont deny it please that an awful lot of cyclists break lights and pull out in front of cars all the time.
Gerry if you knock anyone down you’ll pay for it. Same as if you crash into another car.
If your insurance company thinks it’s not your fault they won’t pay
Hope they do the same in Limerick.
Super idea love em
Brilliant news, more bikes = happy city
Pointless adding more bikes before the infrastructure is on place.
And by infrastructure I mean proper cycle lanes.
Artane please
Great scheme but why do the schemes in other cities not work in Dublin. I am part of the Limerick scheme and would welcome being able to use my card in Dublin
Any user docking a bike in gear 1 and with the saddle completely lowered should have the subscription immediately cancelled.
More cyclest/targets for Dublin Bus drivers..
But still not enough funding to put one in Grangegorman??
AT LAST
The Councillor who actually lives in Donnybrook was not so delighted – even though unlike every other Councillor he had actually gone out and identified alternative sites within the area. The debate was actually narrow and extraordinary parochial. Pity thta was not reported
Bike stations should be placed in a 3 mile radius of oconnell st across the city. 15/20 min cycle free of charge instead if overpriced bus fares … It would be a roaring success.
An turning the city into las vagas style led lights up. Get a grip Dublin City Council. If any of you had to live with these signs outside your door you wouldn’t be so generous. They have great bike schemes in Luxemburg, France, holland, Croatia without the metroplolis signs.
ABC
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