Public Bikes for Dublin

Ghost Rider

From today's Indo...

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ON yer bike Dubs - but don't forget to leave them back.

The 500 public bicycles which are to be located around Dublin are "virtually vandal proof" according to the City Council, in what surely smacks of "famous last words".

Sceptics might fear that some less civic-minded Dubs may not be inclined to return the bikes, which will be emblazoned in Dublin colours.

There are fears the bicycles might suffer the same fate as that perennial urban unfortunate - the abandoned shopping trolley. However, each bike has an on-board computer to track its movement.

Their unique design ensures they cannot suffer punctures and there are no visible wires.

"The proposed Dublin City Bicycle is of a new generation and the result of over a decade of continuous and extensive investment," says the council.

The bikes are to be located at 25 key locations such as St Stephen's Green. They will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be branded with the Dublin City Council logo.

They are being introduced across the city by one of the world's largest outdoor advertising companies, JC Decaux, in exchange for permission to erect 120 permanent advertising billboards.

Over 60pc of the new advertising space will be dedicated to giving civic information to citizens and visitors to the capital.

Part of the deal involves the removal of 1,800 current billboards. The bicycles should be in place within the next six months, along with the new network of variable message electronic billboards.

Fine Gael Councillor Naoise O Muire said yesterday that criticism of the plan was unfair.

He said that the scheme had showed creativity and was a worthwhile step in the right direction.

Amsterdam pioneered the free bicycle system, but in Dublin there will be a small charge for their use.

(Treacy Hogan)

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Thomas_S_Hunterson

Skangers! On your marks...

gzoladz

In Amsterdam they used to have white bikes, but their local junkies would steal them, paint them and sell them for €10 in the fietsbrug (kinda official place to buy stolen bikes).
If it didnt work in Amsterdam I very much doubt it will work in Dublin, although I hope I am wrong and the k....... dont miss another opportunity to show they can live in a society.
Although as long as the bikes are no taky mountainbikes with double suspension, they should be fine.

Capt'n Midnight

maybe if they had a pay-machine with clamps

you stick a credit card in to the machine, and return it to another and swipe the card again or you get billed for it. [edit I just saw the bit about the small charge - maybe that's it] if the charge is more than bus fare or worse priced high enough to make it self financing then I can't see it being too attractive.

on board computer - how is it powered ??

gzoladz

I dont think charging for it to be a good idea at all. This should be used to encourage citizens to use bicycles and leave their cars at home.

If they charge, will the users need to use only coins and pay the exact fare or they will get a piece of paper as change?

onesoma

this should have been posted in this thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055054427

blorg

Sounds somewhat like the DB's Callabike system in Germany.