The citizens of Ashbourne in Meath will have a new way of getting around their local town with a new shared bike scheme. A total of 15 pedal bikes, 15 electric bikes and two electric cargo bikes will be available to hire from an initial 10 bike parking locations throughout the town as Meath County Council launches a 12-month trial of the scheme.
Bikes can be found at the following locations in Ashbourne: Ashbourne Library, Ashbourne Community Centre, Fredrick St (outside Garda Station), Fredrick St (Tescos), Garden City (Centra), Playground on Castle Street, Milltown Sports Field Car park, Archerstown Wood, Garden City (Centra), Brindley Park/St Johns Wood Court.
The scheme will be managed by MOBY bikes who currently run similar schemes in Westmeath, Offaly and in Dublin City and County. This is one of the first shared bike scheme of this kind in a regional town and will be a great addition to the transport infrastructure of Ashbourne. Having the option to use a bike around the town is now available to everyone and should help reduce the number of cars seen on the streets.
Customers are invited to simply download the Moby Move App on their phone. Once customers register and select Ashbourne as their town, the app will then show you where the nearest bike is located. When at the bike, simply scan the QR code on the bike and follow the instruction in app to unlock and ride. The customer is then free to use the bike for as long as required. An initial top up balance of €5 is required and the price is set at €1 to unlock and after 3 minutes, 1 cent per minute to ride for the pedal bikes and 10 cent per minute for the electric bikes, with the electric cargo bikes costing just €2 to unlock and 10 cent per minute to ride. When finished, simply return the bike (before midnight) to a designated bike parking stand, lock it up and end your journey in the app.
The bikes themselves are designed to be very user friendly and easy to ride. Even those who may not have ventured out on a bicycle in a while will find it comes back to them very quickly. This marks the first-time e-cargo bikes are available on a public bike share scheme in Ireland. Reflecting their growing popularity across Europe, where they are increasingly used for grocery shopping and even the school run in ever more car congested towns and cities.
Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr. Nick Killian has welcomed the launch of the Bike for Hire Scheme in Ashbourne where 32 bikes in total will be on the streets within days, saying, “this is a good news story which will be a marvellous incentive in attracting extra tourists into the county, and it will also be of great assistance to residents as they move around the town doing their daily activities. The main purpose of the project is to encourage people to get out of their cars and start cycling. A review of the scheme will take place in 12 months’ time so I urge everyone to use these bikes as often as they can.”
Source: Meath County Council