Dublinbikes


Dublinbikes is a public bicycle rental scheme which has operated in the city of Dublin since 2009. At its launch, the scheme, which is sponsored by JCDecaux, used 450 French-made unisex bicycles with 40 stations. By 2011 this had expanded to 550 bicycles and 44 stations, and in 2013 it was announced that a major expansion of the scheme would add a further 950 bikes and another 58 hire points. Dublin was the 17th city to implement such a scheme, and it was considered one of the most successful bike sharing schemes in the world, however in recent times progress has stalled with only 2 of 14 phases being rolled out. Currently the scheme loses €376,000 a year, leading to further expansion of Dublin Bikes being put on hold.

History

The scheme was announced by Dubin City Council in 2006 when JCDecaux received 72 free advertising spaces around Dublin in a 15-year deal in return for the advertising company's funding of the project. Critics argued that the deal was an expensive one when compared to Copenhagen where companies pay to have their logos attached to the bicycle. 450 bicycle stands were installed in groups of ten and twenty in forty locations around Dublin from June 2009. The scheme was opposed by An Taisce who said it was "misuse of legislation by a local authority to facilitate a private development".
The Dublinbikes scheme was launched on 13 September 2009, with around 150 ordinary cyclists embarking on their first ride behind John Tierney, Dublin City Manager, and Andrew Montague, a councillor who was representing the Lord Mayor of Dublin on the journey.
It was announced on 18 June 2014 that Coca-Cola Zero would become a commercial partner with Dublinbikes for three years. Starting at the end of June 2014, the brand was renamed Coca-Cola Zero Dublinbikes and the Coca-Cola Zero brand was added to each individual bike in return for investment in the scheme.
On 20 July 2017, Just Eat took over as the commercial partner for the next three years. Just Eat invested €2.25 million in the scheme over the three year period. This is a 15% increase on the Coca-Cola Zero investment in order to help the profitability and expansion of the service. The brand was therefore renamed Just Eat dublinbikes and all 1,500 bikes had the new branding applied to them by August 2017. As part of the announcement, it was confirmed that an additional 15 stations would open in the city and 100 bikes would be added to the network.

Progress

The scheme proved to be a great success, much exceeding predictions. Approximately 1,000 people used the bicycles in the first six hours, with a further thousand people having subscribed to use them. Some 11,000 people applied in the first fortnight and Dublin City Council's supply of subscriber cards was reduced to zero, with the Council having initially targeted a 5,000-person uptake in the first year. More than 25,000 people had applied to take part in the scheme by March 2010. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government John Gormley said after the launch this level of uptake indicated the new "mainstream" approach to cycling in Ireland.
In the first ten months of the scheme, it was reported that there were over 37,000 users, over 828,000 journeys, no accidents, no vandalism, and only one bike missing.
On 10 May 2010, city councillors in Dublin voted for more advertising hoardings to be used to help with payments, with more than 30,000 people having subscribed. On 14 August 2010, it was announced that the scheme had reached its one millionth trip. By May 2011, two million journeys had been made and the scheme had expanded to 550 bicycles and 44 stations. In 2013 it was announced that a major expansion of the scheme would add a further 950 bikes and another 58 hire points.
DateLong termTotal journeys
18 April 201021,134556,497
May 201133,6432,003,105
20 April 20123,500,000
12 January 20134,674,277
27 November 201336,6366,037,199
13 September 201446,6957,951,866
30 April 201554,80810,568,398
16 May 201660,18714,705,855
20 July 201766,88319,811,383
21 March 201867,89022,417,162

Cost to users

To use the system, users need to take out a subscription, which allows the subscriber an unlimited number of rentals. Subscriptions can get a Long Term Hire Card costing €25, or a 3-day ticket costing €5. Prices effective from 13 February 2017. Users also authorise Dublin Bikes to charge €150 from their credit card if the bike is not returned. The first half-hour of every journey is free, after that a service charge applies. See below for pricing structure:
Time30 min1 hr2 hrs3 hrs4 hrs
RateFree€0.50€1.50€3.50€6.50

After 4 hours, every extra 30 minutes costs €2. In practice, the system is virtually free at the point of use for Long Term subscribers as over 95% of journeys last less than 30 minutes.
Dublinbikes only accepts Chip and PIN, and will not accept magnetic stripe cards such as those used in the United States.

Service

The robust bicycles are produced by the French bicycle company Mercier in Hungary and are repaired by JCDecaux. They are three-speed bicycles, fitted with Shimano Nexus gears which can be changed up and down using a twist/grip shifter on the right handlebar. A Shimano hub dynamo in the front wheel generates power for front and rear always-on LED lighting. The bikes are fitted with Schwalbe Marathon tyres. Other components include a locking system, an adjustable cushioned saddle, a front bicycle basket, a kick stand and a bell.
Each station is equipped with an automatic rental terminal and stands for 20 to 40 bicycles. Initially, fourteen terminals have credit card facilities enabling the user to purchase a 3-Day Ticket.
If a user arrives with a rented bicycle at a station without open spots, the terminal grants another fifteen minutes of free rental time. The rental terminals also display information about neighbouring dublinbike stations, including location, number of available bicycles and open stands. A fleet of bicycle-transporting vehicles are used to redistribute bicycles between empty and full stations.

Future

In November 2010, a major five-year expansion plan was adopted due to the huge success of the scheme thus far. The plan will see the number of bikes increase from 450 to 5,000 and the number of bike stations increase from 40 to 300. The scheme will be extended as far north as DCU, as far south as UCD, as far east as Sandymount and as far west as Inchicore. The expansion will be funded differently than the original scheme, most likely through a mix of public and private funding.
In July 2012 it was announced that the first part of the scheme would begin before the end of the year.

Stations

When launched in 2009 there was a total of 40 bike stations and 450 bikes. There was a small expansion completed in 2011, adding 4 new stations and an extra 100 bikes. In April 2013 expansion plans were announced to expand the network to 102 stations and increasing the number of bikes from 550 to 1500. In March 2018, it was confirmed that the service would expand from 101 stations to 116 and from 1,500 bikes to 1,600.
NameStation #SpacesOpenedLocation
Avondale Road108406 June 2018
Barrow Street704022 April 2014
Benson Street904021 February 2014
Blackhall Place88308 May 2014
Blessington Street22013 September 2009
Bolton Street32013 September 2009
Brookfield Road843026 May 2014
Buckingham Street Lower109305 October 2018
Cathal Brugha Street242013 September 2009
Charlemont Street54013 September 2009
Charleville Road107406 June 2018
Christchurch Place62013 September 2009
City Quay993027 March 2014
Clarendon Row13113 September 2009
Clonmel Street543327 November 2013
Collins Barracks Museum87385 August 2014
Convention Centre654028 November 2013
Custom House233013 September 2009
Custom House Quay83013 September 2009
Dame Street101613 September 2009
Denmark Street Great59203 March 2014
Deverell Place453027 November 2013
Earlsfort Terrace113013 September 2009
Eccles Street122013 September 2009
Eccles Street East79278 May 2014
Emmet Road8340
Exchequer Street92413 September 2009
Excise Walk484027 November 2013
Fenian Street633527 November 2013
Fitzwilliam Square East894015 April 2014
Fitzwilliam Square West133013 September 2009
Francis Street733022 April 2014
Frederick Street South9830
Fownes Street Upper143013 September 2009
George's Lane504027 March 2018
Georges Quay162013 September 2009
Golden Lane172013 September 2009
Grand Canal Dock694021 February 2014
Grangegorman Lower 1044027 March 2018
Grangegorman Lower 1053627 March 2018
Grangegorman Lower 1034027 March 2018
Grantham Street183013 September 2009
Grattan Street572327 November 2013
Greek Street42013 September 2009
Guild Street494011 August 2014
Hanover Quay684021 February 2014
Harcourt Terrace41206 January 2011
Hardwicke Place612515 April 2014
Hardwicke Street151613 September 2009
Hatch Street553629 August 2014
Herbert Place193013 September 2009
Herbert Street47403 November 2014
Heuston Bridge 92405 August 2014
Heuston Bridge 100255 August 2014
Heuston Station 94405 August 2014
Heuston Station 93405 August 2014
High Street72913 September 2009
James Street754025 August 2014
James Street East203013 September 2009
Jervis Street402113 September 2009
John Street West72318 May 2014
Kevin Street71405 August 2014
Killarney Street115306 September 2018
Kilmainham Gaol974029 August 2014
Kilmainham Lane9630
King Street North101303 June 2014
Leinster Street South213013 September 2009
Lime Street624030 January 2014
Market Street South763810 July 2014
Mater Hospital784023 July 2014
Merrion Square East253013 September 2009
Merrion Square South1134021 August 2018
Merrion Square West262013 September 2009
Molesworth Street272013 September 2009
Mount Brown822226 May 2014
Mountjoy Square East1114020 June 2018
Mountjoy Square West283013 September 2009
Mount Street Lower564027 November 2013
New Central Bank664017 January 2014
Newman House53407 April 2014
North Circular Road603026 March 2014
North Circular Road 112306 June 2018
Oliver Bond Street74308 May 2014
Ormond Quay Upper292913 September 2009
Parkgate Street86385 August 2014
Parnell Square North302013 September 2009
Parnell Street312013 September 2009
Pearse Street323013 September 2009
Phibsborough Road1104020 June 2018
Princes Street / O'Connell Street332313 September 2009
Portobello Harbour343013 September 2009
Portobello Road43309 March 2011
Rathdown Road106406 June 2018
Royal Hospital954029 August 2014
Sandwith Street644024 January 2014
Sir Patricks Dun's58407 April 2014
Smithfield353013 September 2009
Smithfield North42306 January 2011
South Dock Road913022 April 2014
St. James's Hospital 814026 May 2014
St. James's Hospital 804010 July 2014
Strand Street Great463527 November 2013
St. Stephen's Green East364013 September 2009
St. Stephen's Green South373013 September 2009
Talbot Street384013 September 2009
The Point674017 January 2014
Townsend Street222013 September 2009
Upper Sherrard Street44309 March 2011
Western Way1024010 July 2014
Wilton Terrace392013 September 2009
Wilton Terrace 1144021 August 2018
Wolfe Tone Street77293 June 2014
York Street 523227 November 2013
York Street 514027 November 2013

Alternatives

In May 2018, Dublin City Council granted licenses to two operators, Urbo and BleeperBike, to run a new, stationless bike share new scheme, with "full interoperability between the two schemes".
In 2019, the seconde licence has been re-advertised after Urbo never launched their bikes in Dublin. The Irish company Moby won the second license and is expected to launch a fleet of electrically assisted bikes by 2020