18/09/2009

Biking Is 'Just Capital' For Dubliners

Capitalism meets environmentalism with the recent launch of a bike-it scheme for getting around the Irish capital.

In a green-scheme that is being funded by advertising agency JC Decaux in exchange for advertising space in the capital, Dublin City Council has said 6,000 people have already subscribed to the Dublinbikes scheme which was introduced last weekend.

It said more than 5,000 people had registered for long-term hire cards and almost 1,000 for its 72-hour duration short-term subscriptions.

The council has 450 bicycles available from 40 stations between the Royal and the Grand canals.

Cyclists can register online for annual membership using a credit card at a cost of €10 or can pay with a credit card at 14 of the stations for a three-day €2 ticket.

Rental is then free for half an hour and costs 50 cent for the first hour, rising to €6.50 for four hours.

The bikes are available from 5.30am to 12.30am in a bid to reduce pollution, lessen traffic problems around Dublin and to get people taking some healthy exercise too, and all without burning fuel or adding to the CO2 levels.

(BMcC/GK)

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