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Dubliners and visitors to the city centre to get on their bikes in September


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General Conditions of Access and Use
Click here for the dublinbikes information leaflet

dublinbikes launches on Sunday 13th September. Dublin City Council and JCDecaux will host a special launch event at 9.30 am on Winetavern Street adjacent to the Civic Offices to mark the occasion.

According to Cllr Andrew Montague, who will represent Lord Mayor Cllr Emer Costello at the launch, “I proposed introducing this scheme to Dublin five years ago and it’s very exciting for me to see the bikes finally hit the streets. dublinbikes is a great addition to Dublin city’s transport infrastructure. From Sunday people will be able to use what is essentially a new public transport system to get around Dublin city. dublinbikes has 450 bikes at 40 stations. The network is designed to facilitate people using the bikes for short journeys in the city centre area. This also facilitates each bike being hired several times a day. We’re aiming to see each bike used about nine times per day - about 4,000 bike journeys. Trips of up to 30 minutes are free and that’s how we’d encourage people to use dublinbikes.
“dublinbikes is open to everyone over 14 years of age but I think it will be particularly attractive to people who don’t own a bike but are open to the many advantages of cycling. Anyone using the scheme from Sunday on will see that it’s an efficient, pleasant and fun way to get around. I’d encourage everyone to play their part in making it a success and to cycle safely.”

Launch event – 9.30am Sunday 13th September, Winetavern St. adjacent to Civic Offices

Approximately 150 staff, family members and friends from Dublin City Council, JCDecaux as well as Councillors, local community groups and other interested parties will cycle from the Civic Offices car park to bike stations across the dublinbikes network. Cllr Montague will cut a ceremonial ribbon at 10am following which dublinbikes can be used by subscribers.

Cllr Montague says “everyone taking part in the event is doing so voluntarily and this shows the enthusiasm councillors and staff in Dublin City Council, staff in JCDecaux and elsewhere have for the scheme. We believe this also reflects public enthusiasm and there are over 1,500 members already. This compares extremely favourably with pre-launch figures in other cities. You join online on www.dublinbikes.ie and one year’s membership costs €10.”

ENDS

For more information

Dublin City Council Press Office: (01) 2222170/086 8150010

Notes to the Editor re details of the contract between JCDecaux and Dublin City Council:

Advertising Panels:

The initial part of this contract was the installation of advertising panels. A separate planning application was made for each proposed location of an advertising panel. 72 of the 120 planning applications were approved and there are currently 66 advertising panels installed. – See Appendix I for visual showing sizing details for the advertising panels

The Civic Information and Communications System:

For the duration of the contract Dublin City Council has the exclusive use of 38 advertising faces on the advertising panels. JCDecaux cover all the costs associated with this i.e. artwork design, printing, posting and maintenance of the advertisements on behalf of Dublin City Council – See Appendix II for additional information and visuals.

The City Council had exclusive use of all of the newly installed advertising panels during July and August 2008. The City Council ran two campaigns - (Anti-Litter and Water Conservation) during this time. – See Appendix II for examples of the different campaigns featured on the 38 advertising faces.

The dublinbikes scheme:

The dublinbikes scheme will be launched on 13th September 2009. 450 bikes will be available at 40 bike stations located in the city centre. This new individual public transport initiative will be maintained and operated by JCDecaux for the duration of the contract with the City Council – See Appendix II for bike station locations

Way finding Scheme:

JCDecaux are to provide a way-finding system in Dublin that will improve the legibility of the city for residents and visitors alike. The system will direct people to major civic, cultural and transport destinations across the city centre. Work has commenced on this aspect of the programme of public amenities and it is anticipated that the locations will be finalised during the coming months. This will be followed by the construction and installation of the way finding structures themselves shortly thereafter.

Removal of billboards:

JCDecaux have removed 100 billboards to the satisfaction of the City Council – See Appendix I for visual showing sizing details for the advertising panels.

The contract with JCDecaux:

The contract entered into by Dublin City Council with JCDecaux to provide a package of public amenities for the city and the removal of 100 billboards was negotiated during 2006 at the height of the economic boom in Ireland. Anticipated advertising sales used to fund the public amenities were based on a strong advertising market.

It should be noted that the contract will be delivered at no risk to Dublin City Council. The initial contract was based on a market that has changed dramatically. The package of amenities negotiated by Dublin City Council will be delivered by JCDecaux and does not take into account current market conditions.

This contract is a first in Ireland where the City Council sought to innovatively fund the provision of public amenities funded by advertising in the City. The contract between Dublin City Council and JCDecaux manages to maintain the provision of an enlarged bike scheme, an Information and Communications System, way finding scheme and the removal of 100 billboards notwithstanding the fact that only 66 advertising panels have been installed of the original 120 which were anticipated at the signing of the contract.

Changes to the 2006 contract:

A number of changes have taken place since the tender in 2005 in the number of advertising panels to be installed in Dublin and the overall value of the public amenity package for Dublin City Council.

The initial tender was based on the erection of 170 advertising panels at a value of €101.68 m to the City Council

The contract awarded in 2006 was based on the erection of 120 advertising panels at a value of €83.55 m to the City Council

The current situation is that planning permission has been granted for 72 advertising panels at a value of €54.36 m to the City Council

Note:

The Civic Information Panels allow the City Council to promote events and communicate with people in Dublin. In the current economic situation and with budgets reduced dramatically this remains a very valuable commodity to the City Council and this provision within the contract has already been very successfully used by; anti-litter, water conservation, motor tax, development plan, libraries, etc. The sites are already booked as far ahead as August 2010 with strategic and important campaigns through the City Council’s Communications Department.

The way finding scheme is a much needed communications system for the city of Dublin. It will play a significant role in visitor management through pedestrian movement patterns, the public transport infrastructure and providing directional signage to key destinations throughout the city centre. It will act as a navigational tool, connecting individuals and places and enhancing people’s experience of Dublin.