Private sector role in bike rental plan
Minister for Public and Commuter Transport Alan Kelly said yesterday he is willing to meet “anyone at any time” who feels that they could help introduce the Dublinbikes-style scheme in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.
Among the funding options being considered are a naming rights or sponsorship approach.
Mr Kelly was speaking in Cork at the first of four symposiums which will be held in each of the regional cities over the coming days to explore funding models.
Dublin City Council’s cycling officer, Ciaran Fallon, said Dublinbikes, which was launched in September 2009, has 63,000 subscribers who have recorded over 2.6 million journeys.
The 450 bike 40-docking station scheme is operated by the outdoor advertising firm, JC Decaux, in return for a concession from the council over advertising sites in the city.
But Mr Kelly said the “exclusive advertising” funding model which was used to launch it cannot be replicated in the current economic climate.
“I’m asking anybody out there with good ideas in relation to how we could develop this concept in the regional cities to come forward,” he said.
“I am willing to meet anyone at any time if they feel they can contribute to this concept. It’s better to ask and find out, than to say it’s not achievable.”
The National Transport Authority (NTA) commissioned two reports which showed that bike rental schemes are feasible in the four regional centres.
The reports on Cork show it could support a scheme of at least 235 bikes with 25 docking stations.
NTA boss Gerry Murphy said the city’s southside is more suited given the steep hills on the northside, and that a fleet of about 300 bikes is recommended in the area between Kent Station and UCC. He said that the indicative capital costs to set up the four schemes are challenging at €6.4 million, with operating costs estimated at €23m over a 15-year period.
Denise Cahill, a HSE health promotion officer who attend the symposium, said: “The health benefits of such a scheme are wide-ranging and will fully support Cork’s bid to become a European Healthy City.”
Cllr John Buttimer (FG), a keen cyclist, also welcomed the scheme.
“But I am disappointed that it doesn’t cover CIT, which has a student population of 10,000, and CUH which has about 1,000 employees,” he said.
