On Monday 13 September Dublin City Council will launch a new public bicycle scheme for the city. The initiative is aimed, among other things, at reducing traffic congestion and promoting greener living – pressing problems in the city.
Ahead of the introduction of the bikes, Dublin City Council is soliciting support from the public to make the scheme a success. It’s interesting that the council is targeting “people who aren’t regular cyclists”, who are being encouraged to make short trips around Dublin without having to own or maintain their own bikes.
However, while the council highlighted the need for cycists to observe the rules of the road, it failed to mention the importance of first getting to grips with safe cycling. Perhaps the council needs to be reminded that cycling does not simply mean ‘get on your bike and move!’
Like any other form of vehicular transport, cycling is a skill that must be learned, otherwise cyclists are prone to putting themselves and other road users in danger. We would urge the council to encourage people to understand the fundamentals of safe cycling on the capital’s streets before getting involved with the scheme.
We would also suggest that the council take another look at the cost of this service, which requires an up-front guarantee of €150. This is definitely on the high side, and will surely deter most ordinary people from participating in the scheme – if they’re not already put off by the significant charges for usage. Although free for the first half hour, rental can rocket up to more than €10 for just six hours, which seems like a rip-off to us.
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