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Dublin Bikes - expansion stalled?

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    I can't link easily as I'm on mobile, but google Dublin Bikes expansion and tou'll find a map showing where the stations will be. There are about ten more expansion phases. Eventually it will cover the area between Drumcondra and Rathmines, Inchicore to Sandymount more or less.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 433 ✭✭lolosaur


    looks like kimmage, crumlin and drimnagh are not allowed to have nice things yet again.
    The north side is heavily under biked.

    and those stations in inchicore are not in inchicore at all, they are in kilmainham, the nicer parts, just in case the scruffys might be on them coming in from ballyer or bluebell.

    Coke zero bike scheme - Bringing bikes to the middle classes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    It will cover Drimnagh, Crumlin, and Cabra -- not exactly solubrious areas. Maybe you found the wrong map? Try this one : http://dublinobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/expmap-large.jpg


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 433 ✭✭lolosaur


    perhaps. that is just a map that seems to be coloured in though, they dont have any location sites attributed to it or any specific guide lines.

    why should less solubrious areas be denied of sucvh facilities though. they are high density, highly populated areas.

    For now, i shall retract my reservations stated above, however, i dont beliwve we will see much done.

    1 bike for bluebell. if they keep that, they can have another one in 10 years :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    Nowhere is being excluded on account of wealth or poverty. In fact only about one-quarter of the area to be served could be classified as above average. Check out the Haase deprivation index, which will show that most of the proposed area is below averge or disadvantaged. Other areas are excluded due to their distance from the city centre.

    There are no specific locations chosen, but the general rule with bikeshare systems is to have about 300m between stations. So it's not going to be a case of having one station out on its own serving a large catchment.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I thought the original plan was that it wasn't intended for commuters. As it grows it's going to fall within reach of more commuters. Though if you are on the fringes or further from the Dublin bikes. Using your own bike makes a lot more sense.

    Your own bike is more direct A-B always available. And much quicker and lighter


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 433 ✭✭lolosaur


    beauf wrote: »
    I thought the original plan was that it wasn't intended for commuters. As it grows it's going to fall within reach of more commuters. Though if you are on the fringes or further from the Dublin bikes. Using your own bike makes a lot more sense.

    Your own bike is more direct A-B always available. And much quicker and lighter


    and more susceptible to junkie theft.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,807 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Any talk of increasing the free 30 minutes?
    With the latest expansion its getting to the stage where some journeys between the stations furthest apart may not be doable in 30 minutes for all cyclists.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    30 minutes seems to be standard across different cities. I've been monitoring the time and length of my journeys, and my speed averages 11kmph pretty consistently. I don't cycle fast (I get overtaken a lot :$ ) and I stop for amber lights so 11kmph is probably on the low end of the scale. Anyway, it means that in 30 mins I could do a 5.5km journey, where I'm sure some people could manage 6km. When the system expansions come in, it will only pose a problem for people going crosstown end-to-end.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Seems if you are using it more than 30 mins you are kinda beyond the intended use of the scheme. I'd also suggest 30 mins on a Dublin bike which is a thundering tank. Would be 20 mins on a better bike. A better bike being a 2nd hand MTB with slicks for about €100. it would feel like a Ferrari in comparison.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    lolosaur wrote: »
    and more susceptible to junkie theft.

    The bikes are really worth nothing. They so heavy no one want them. A bigger problem might be just mindless vandalism.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Be nice if they could make the tagging on/off simpler. The Leap card process is simpler.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 433 ✭✭lolosaur


    It would be great if they had a "dump section, where you could tie the bike up by a station if it was full instead of having to go searching for other stations. ther eis nothing more infuriating then getting to a full station.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,807 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    beauf wrote: »
    Seems if you are using it more than 30 mins you are kinda beyond the intended use of the scheme.

    I'd have thought any two stations on the scheme is within the intended use of the scheme (maybe not?). So the question would be is Ringsend to Kilmainham in 30 minutes do-able, at peak hours, safely, in bad weather. Bearing in mind that DB trumpet that the scheme has got many 50yo+ and 60yo+ subscribers.
    I wouldn't see any harm in increasing to 45 minutes as the scheme expands, its only an arbitrary limit anyway to prevent ridiculous misuse.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    ahem...
    beauf wrote: »
    I thought the original plan was that it wasn't intended for commuters. As it grows it's going to fall within reach of more commuters. Though if you are on the fringes or further from the Dublin bikes. Using your own bike makes a lot more sense.

    Your own bike is more direct A-B always available. And much quicker and lighter

    BTW its got nothing to do with age. Its about fitness. Good maps reckons thats 6.6k and about 22mins on a bicycle. You can probably add 10~20 mins to that for low fitness and a strong headwind.

    I expect they could run stats amd see how much of a financial impact increasing the free period would have. They say the average journey is 13 mins. So probably very little impact.

    I know a few people who taken bikes from city centre and cycled around the phoenix park. I was fairly impressed with that considering the bike.
    Coca-Cola Zero dublinbikes at a glance:
    Over 42,000 long term subscribers
    Almost 5,000 short term subscriptions so far this year (2014)
    Over 7 million rentals since launch
    Average journey time 13 minutes
    95% of rentals are free, i.e. under 30 minutes
    Busiest usage day so far: 11,096 rentals on 12th June 2014
    All information accurate as at June 2014


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 433 ✭✭lolosaur


    I'd have thought any two stations on the scheme is within the intended use of the scheme (maybe not?). So the question would be is Ringsend to Kilmainham in 30 minutes do-able, at peak hours, safely, in bad weather. Bearing in mind that DB trumpet that the scheme has got many 50yo+ and 60yo+ subscribers.
    I wouldn't see any harm in increasing to 45 minutes as the scheme expands, its only an arbitrary limit anyway to prevent ridiculous misuse.


    No, depending on which way you go. If you start at grand canal dock and head down along the canal, you are cutting it fine. a decent cyclist will do it but traffic + other bikes + pedestrians, you are not going to get 100% 30 minutes every time. best to do is request an exta 15 minutes at portobello.

    even at that, there is a squeeze on spaces on emmett road when you do get there.

    your other option is straight down the quay to heuston and up through irma. its a more straight forward route but your hoop will be in bits from the stretch along wood quay to hsq with potholes and rogue taxis aiming for you. again, its do able but only 40% of the time i would say


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    I find you kinda need to be using a smart phone app to judge what station will have spaces before you get their.
    Unfortunately a lot of the apps seem to think you only want to know about stations near your current location.
    The ones that have a map of them all, are more useful.

    Still its a lot better than it used to be. When it stated it was often impossible to get a bike or free stand. These days its a lot easier.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3 JohnWyne


    I find the only app that is fully up to date, all the time, is JcDecaux's app allbikesnow. I use it nearly everyday and it's great


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,109 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Paris -- which has a far larger network of stations -- has three methods or outcomes which extend the trips by 45mins:

    1. Pay extra on your annual subscription.

    2. Paris gives all users 15mins extra if a station is full, from the FAQ link below: "Log in using your ticket number or subscription number. Follow the onscreen instructions and the terminal will give you 15 additional minutes to reach a nearby station and return your bike."

    3. Take a bicycle from a standard station and return it to a V station, usually at a hiller location -- it's interesting concept I strangely just learned about this on a Dutch Cycling Embassy trip to the Netherlands (city of Paris officials were in the group).

    "What are the Vélib bonus V+ stations for?
    Stations marked as “Bonus V+” are there to reward brave users that make it to the highest-up Vélib stations. If you pick up a bike from a “standard” station and return it to a “Bonus V+” station, you are credited time! There are 100 Bonus V+ stations that reward your efforts with 15 extra free minutes.
    If you are an annual subscriber you can convert your Vélib’ minutes into currency to use on CitéGreen, the premier reward program for pro-environmental eco-citizenship. For more information, see citregreen.com" -- https://aboen-paris.cyclocity.fr/How-it-works/FAQ2

    Maybe the same can be done with stations which are far apart in Dublin?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60 ✭✭cob1


    My friend in London says that there if people want to do a longer journey they swap bikes at an intermediate station, hopping from one to another. Not sure Dublin Bikes allows this at present but could be permitted when stations are widespread enough that it becomes an issue.

    I don't know if it's been discussed here but I have to say myself the quality of the service seems to have dropped during the current expansion. In the past I would almost never have encountered empty/full stations, on one occasion recently I walked home past 7 empty stations on the way home from work. It's not unusual any more that I walk all the way home as by the time I find a bike there's no point taking one. I know it's at the peak time but it didn't used to happen at all for me. Hopefully just growing pains and more bikes are on the way, I emailed to ask if this was the case but it was a waste of time, I just got a copy and paste response that actually didn't answer any of my questions.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,931 ✭✭✭Poxyshamrock


    In Dublin you have to wait 5 minutes before taking another bike.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    In Dublin you have to wait 5 minutes before taking another bike.

    I didn't know that.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 22,648 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    monument wrote: »
    ..."What are the Vélib bonus V+ stations for?
    Stations marked as “Bonus V+” are there to reward brave users that make it to the highest-up Vélib stations. If you pick up a bike from a “standard” station and return it to a “Bonus V+” station, you are credited time! There are 100 Bonus V+ stations that reward your efforts with 15 extra free minutes....[/url]

    Cool idea. Need one at the top of Howth Hill etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,229 ✭✭✭LeinsterDub


    http://www.businessandleadership.com/sustainability/item/48108-dublinbikes-hits-50-000-mem
    The Coca-Cola Zero Dublinbikes scheme has today hit the 50,000 annual subscriber mark.
    the scheme experienced its busiest ever day this month with members taking over 15,000 journeys on 2 October.

    http://www.thejournal.ie/dublin-bike-busiest-day-1743070-Oct2014/

    Impressive numbers


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,588 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    still no sign of the Georges Dock station - are there any others left to do?


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,109 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    loyatemu wrote: »
    still no sign of the Georges Dock station - are there any others left to do?

    I think there was at least two to go when I last asked and only one has been completed since, which opened this week.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,588 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    monument wrote: »
    I think there was at least two to go when I last asked and only one has been completed since, which opened this week.

    it's not listed on the DublinBikes website anymore - all the new stations are marked as "open" - it is still on the expansion map though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,279 ✭✭✭NuMarvel


    College Green is listed on the expansion map, but I don't think work has commenced on that yet. But with LUAS works still going on in the vicinity, that's probably not too surprising.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,000 ✭✭✭✭cgcsb


    any ideas when we can look forward to the next expansion stage? possibly the liberties and coombe?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    The expansion map that circulated a while back that indeed the next stage should cover the remainder of Dublin 8 excluding Inchicore. I think the timeframe indicated was for a new phase of expansion every six months or so, but I wouldn't hold my breath.


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