Council rolls out new hired bike scheme

TWO hundred more bikes will be soon be available on the streets of the capital after Dublin City Council launched the first regulated Stationless Bike Hire Scheme in the city.

Two operators, Urbo and Bleeperbike, will be granted licences to operate the low-cost bike hire scheme which is similar to the one run by Just Eat dublinbikes.

However, the Stationless Bike Hire Scheme will expand bike hire services to outer suburban areas while allowing greater flexibility for users as bikes do not have to be returned to a docking station, but simply locked to an official ‘Sheffield stand’.

The council has been facilitating the roll out of this scheme which will see the immediate introduction of 200 bikes to the streets with a gradual increase in the number over the coming months.

Over 1,300 extra cycle parking spaces have been installed in recent months to accommodate users of the scheme and for own-bike owners.

Users can sign up to either operator with full interoperability between the two schemes. Bikes are sourced via an App which unlocks the bike. Once locked to a Sheffield stand at destination the hire period ceases. The council said it was working in partnership with both operators to ensure that the scheme will be a success and not encounter the problems experienced in other cities with unregulated schemes.

 Dick Brady, Assistant Chief Executive, Environment and Transportation Department said: “Dublin City Council is delighted to facilitate the roll out of stationless bike hire in the city.

“We look forward to working actively with the chosen operators Urbo and Bleeperbike to ensure the success of stationless bike hire in Dublin.

“Facilitating modal shift to more sustainable transport options is a vital element in the council’s traffic management and climate change strategies.”

He added: “The provision of low cost bike share is a valuable support to these strategies.”