Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the time frame for the roll out of the Dublin bike scheme in the Dublin 11 and Dublin 9 areas and the details of the scheme in those areas. [55566/12]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Building on the success of the existing  Dublin Bikes Scheme, my Department  has been working with the National Transport Authority and has made significant progress on the expansion of the Dublin Bikes  Scheme.  

Currently, the National Transport Authority is working with Dublin City Council  to enable the first phase of this expansion to progress.  I am informed that this phase is focussed on expanding the scheme eastwards into the Docklands and westwards to Heuston Station.  Discussions are on-going at present with the operator of the current scheme in relation to this phase of expansion and I understand that it is hoped that a suitable arrangement can be concluded early next year, following which the expansion works would then be undertaken.

In relation to extending the scheme into Dublin 9 and 11, the National Transport Authority has informed me that this is not part of the current phase of expansion of the scheme. The National Transport Authority have further advised me that decisions in relation to possible further expansion of Dublinbikes will only be taken following the conclusion of the planned first stage of expansion.

I am aware that Dublin City Council has an ambitious plan to extend the successful Dublinbikes scheme to other areas of the city in a number of phases spread over a number of years.  Such expansion will, of course, be dependent upon the availability of the necessary funding.