THE National Transport Authority (NTA) has given
?¬60,000 in funding to two local authorities to carry out a feasibility study into the potential expansion of the successful Dublin Bikes Scheme to their areas.
The NTA has allocated has funding of
?¬30,000 each to Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council to jointly carry out a feasibility study into the provision of a public bike hire scheme in Dún Laoghaire town and in Tallaght.
The funding is part of the Sustainable Transport Measures Programme 2013.
A spokeswoman for the NTA said that the funding had been granted to both local authorities on condition that the study is completed this year.
“It is with the planning departments in the local authorities now,
? she said.
“The planning departments in the local authorities will know what their project plan is in terms of the detail and they will probably have to tender for, so I would imagine they are working on it now.
“The money has already been granted and it is to be spent in 2013 on the feasibility.
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A spokesman for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council confirmed that it was preparing tender documents to procure a consultant to assist with the feasibility study.
“Expansion of existing Dublin Bike Scheme or the introduction of a standalone public bike hire scheme will be considered as part of the feasibility study,
? he said.
A spokeswoman for South Dublin County Council said officials from the local authority and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council are due to meet with the NTA in the coming weeks to discuss the scope of the project.
“South Dublin County Council would also discuss how to progress the introduction of a standalone public bike hire scheme for Tallaght Town Centre,
? she said.
“In recent years South Dublin County Council has invested in the construction of a number of cycling routes to service local communities in the county.
“In particular South Dublin County Council has carried out an analysis of the Tallaght Cycle Network with the objective of identifying strategic cycling routes to link Tallaght Town Centre with neighbouring towns, villages and the city centre.
“It also aims to identify ways of making the town centre more permeable to ensure that cyclists can move easily around the town and to provide a choice of routes to get cyclists to their destinations.
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In addition, the spokeswoman said that arising from the analysis carried out by the council, it had secured funding from the NTA for preliminary design work on a number of cycle routes.
These routes include an upgrade of the existing route from Tallaght Village to Templeogue via the N81 and a new route from Tallaght to Knocklyon across the Dodder Valley.
A route along the Dodder Valley into Ballsbridge and the south-east of the city centre is also planned.