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2009-06-26 11:38:13
23-06-2009
Cities continue lining up to ease transport congestion and get people bike riding via a bike share program:
Melbourne is looking to put in 600 bikes by next summer (though helmet laws may discourage riders), and
San Francisco is still expecting to get a bike share program this year. But poor Dublin has been waiting
awhile for JCDecaux to get its bike share together - nearly three years in the making, the 450-bike
program now due in September has taken so long that bemsed Dubliners have put together their own
protest stickers.
Blue bikes instead of 'taupe'
The Dublin bike share has had a bit of controversy from the very start, as many residents were opposed to
giving the French conglomerate control of outdoor advertising boards in the city. Some have even charged
that some of the newly-placed advertising boards are poorly positioned and pose a traffic hazard.
JCDecaux received a 15-year contract for control of about 100 boards, estimated to be worth about €1
million annually. There are also concerns that Dublin's residents will be even harder on the shared bikes
than the Parisians have been on their Vélibs.
Dublin's bike share, though run by JCDecaux, will not have all that much in common with the Parisian
Vélib program. It will be quite a bit smaller - 450 bikes and 50 stations compared to Paris' 20,000 bikes;
open between 5:30 a.m. and 12:30 a.m., while Vélib is a 24/7 service, and costing just €10 for a yearly
membership and €.50 per hour after the first free half hour (Vélib costs €29 for a year's membership as
well as €1 for the 2nd half-hour, €2 for the 3rd, and €4 for each additional half-hour.)
The Irish and French programs will share something - the signature utility bike, though in Dublin's case the
Hungarian-manufacture, French-design bike will be partially painted blue, according to the Irish Times,
instead of Vélib's 'taupe' color.
Dublin isn't widely recognized as a cycling city, though Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, a Green party
member, has been keen on improving the city's cycling infrastructure and number of people commuting by
bike. Dempsey has promised that €5 million will be spent this year on cycling infrastructure improvements,
according to the Irish Times.
Comments
Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport, is a member of Fianna Fáil, the dominant government partner in
Coalition with the Green Party.
June 23, 2009 4:43 PM | flag a problem
Philip says:
"(though helmet laws may discourage riders)"
Please don't feed the helmet war trolls.
Thanks.
June 24, 2009 12:55 AM | flag a problem
Simon N says:
@Simon N: It's not feeding the trolls, it's just stating a fact. Cyclists are by law required to wear helmets in
Melbourne (and I'd assume the rest of Australia). That means should someone want to use the bike share
program there, they will be required to own and carry a helmet. How many people are going to carry a
helmet on the off chance they rent a bike. It will indeed greatly reduce the usage numbers.
June 24, 2009 12:17 PM | flag a problem
hej says:
@hej
Fair in this context I suppose. Comment stemmed from hearing the 'helmets discourage riders' argument
one to many times re: commuting with your own bike - helmets have been law here in Melb for decades
and bicycle commuting is still on the rise. But I accept your point and stand corrected.
Short of repealing the law (unlikely), perhaps they need to have a helmet rental at an additional cost at
major bike depots...
June 24, 2009 11:54 PM | flag a problem
Simon N says:
Source: www.treehugger.com
23-06-2009
Cities continue lining up to ease transport congestion and get people bike riding via a bike share program:
Melbourne is looking to put in 600 bikes by next summer (though helmet laws may discourage riders), and
San Francisco is still expecting to get a bike share program this year. But poor Dublin has been waiting
awhile for JCDecaux to get its bike share together - nearly three years in the making, the 450-bike
program now due in September has taken so long that bemsed Dubliners have put together their own
protest stickers.
Blue bikes instead of 'taupe'
The Dublin bike share has had a bit of controversy from the very start, as many residents were opposed to
giving the French conglomerate control of outdoor advertising boards in the city. Some have even charged
that some of the newly-placed advertising boards are poorly positioned and pose a traffic hazard.
JCDecaux received a 15-year contract for control of about 100 boards, estimated to be worth about €1
million annually. There are also concerns that Dublin's residents will be even harder on the shared bikes
than the Parisians have been on their Vélibs.
Dublin's bike share, though run by JCDecaux, will not have all that much in common with the Parisian
Vélib program. It will be quite a bit smaller - 450 bikes and 50 stations compared to Paris' 20,000 bikes;
open between 5:30 a.m. and 12:30 a.m., while Vélib is a 24/7 service, and costing just €10 for a yearly
membership and €.50 per hour after the first free half hour (Vélib costs €29 for a year's membership as
well as €1 for the 2nd half-hour, €2 for the 3rd, and €4 for each additional half-hour.)
The Irish and French programs will share something - the signature utility bike, though in Dublin's case the
Hungarian-manufacture, French-design bike will be partially painted blue, according to the Irish Times,
instead of Vélib's 'taupe' color.
Dublin isn't widely recognized as a cycling city, though Transport Minister Noel Dempsey, a Green party
member, has been keen on improving the city's cycling infrastructure and number of people commuting by
bike. Dempsey has promised that €5 million will be spent this year on cycling infrastructure improvements,
according to the Irish Times.
Comments
Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport, is a member of Fianna Fáil, the dominant government partner in
Coalition with the Green Party.
June 23, 2009 4:43 PM | flag a problem
Philip says:
"(though helmet laws may discourage riders)"
Please don't feed the helmet war trolls.
Thanks.
June 24, 2009 12:55 AM | flag a problem
Simon N says:
@Simon N: It's not feeding the trolls, it's just stating a fact. Cyclists are by law required to wear helmets in
Melbourne (and I'd assume the rest of Australia). That means should someone want to use the bike share
program there, they will be required to own and carry a helmet. How many people are going to carry a
helmet on the off chance they rent a bike. It will indeed greatly reduce the usage numbers.
June 24, 2009 12:17 PM | flag a problem
hej says:
@hej
Fair in this context I suppose. Comment stemmed from hearing the 'helmets discourage riders' argument
one to many times re: commuting with your own bike - helmets have been law here in Melb for decades
and bicycle commuting is still on the rise. But I accept your point and stand corrected.
Short of repealing the law (unlikely), perhaps they need to have a helmet rental at an additional cost at
major bike depots...
June 24, 2009 11:54 PM | flag a problem
Simon N says:
Source: www.treehugger.com
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