DjMagra’s stuff ‘n’ stuff

I have been reading in today’s Irish Times (subscription required) that Dublin City Council is planning the introduction of a free bicycle scheme, similar to what can be found in Copenhagen, Lyon and Amsterdam amongst others.

Under proposals put forward by Labour councillor Andrew Montague, the bicycles would be free for use within a specified city area and could be collected from various on-street sites.

Cyclists would be able to release a bike for a nominal deposit and could retrieve their coin from another “bike station” at the end of their journey, similar to the use of a supermarket shopping trolley.

The system could be devised in a way that would minimise vandalism and theft, Mr Montague said, while still making the bicycles available to the widest number of users.

“The bikes would be very distinctive looking. You could only cycle them in the central city zone and there would be a fine for anyone found taking them outside that area.”

Special features could be incorporated into the design so that the bicycles could not be “harvested” for parts, he said.

I’m interested to see if such an idea would work in Dublin. It always amazes me on my daily trek into work the amount of abandoned bicycles that lie littering the streets of the city, tied up against various railings and lamp-posts with wheels missing and handle-bars bent and broken off, but, I suppose with a little careful planning, it may work…somewhat!