The Dublin Bike scheme is a huge success and only time will tell if such a big increase in fees is justified for the service provided or a step too far. For us, even after such an increase it's still the best value in the city.
The Dublin Bike scheme will see its annual subscription fee increase by 50 per cent as Dublin City Council subsidies are drying up.
However, news the council is no longer happy to contribute to the funding of the scheme in the way it has will not impact current plans to expand the project in a development valued at about €100 million.
The scheme, incredibly, is now in its eight year and Dublin City Council contributed some €380,000 towards it last year.
It has said it is not willing to continue with this and is increasing the annual subscription charge to replace that subsidy.
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When the scheme began in 2009 it cost €10 per year to register and three years ago that increased to €20.
Now the council wants to hike it by a further 50 per cent; to €25 this year and €30 next year.
The increase in pricing would simply replace the council’s current subsidy.
And so in order to pay for the expansion of the scheme into the suburbs over the next decade and increase the number of bikes more than three-fold - to 5,000 from 1,500 – new advertising deals may be struck.
That would involve Dublin City Council allowing private interests erect LED advertising billboards on public lands in exchange for fees that would be ring-fenced for the bike scheme, which is currently sponsored by Coca Cola.
The locations for the advertising are around the heart of the city and include places like O’Connell St, College Green and Grafton St.
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