The Bike Scheme thread

what_traffic

Sierra Tart Maze wrote: »

I have noticed that the bike station at Gaol Road seems to be permanently out of service for the last few weeks. It probably wasn't a great location for it. This brings the number of stations down to 14, rather than the 15 the Minister quoted in his speech.

True, same with the Mainguard St station. It was out of action for a few months. Agree re Goal Rd not been a great location at this current moment in time.

what_traffic

Expansion of the Bikeshare in Galway covered by IrishCycle

http://irishcycle.com/2015/08/31/8-new-galway-bike-scheme-stations-says-minister/

what_traffic

In todays Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/galway-bikes-users-make-less-than-one-trip-a-month-on-average-1.2423293
and Galway Bay FM
http://galwaybayfm.ie/city-public-bike-scheme-most-under-used-nationwide/

No real surprise here considering only have 13 operational stations and all the One-Way Streets in Galway City

joeKel73

9 monthly journeys per bike is very poor (222 in Dublin).

The question now is do they abandon it or invest in more and better placed stations to make it a workable scheme...

joeKel73

what_traffic wrote: »

In todays Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/galway-bikes-users-make-less-than-one-trip-a-month-on-average-1.2423293
and Galway Bay FM
http://galwaybayfm.ie/city-public-bike-scheme-most-under-used-nationwide/

"Councillor Billy Cameron described the scheme as a “complete hames” when it opened because most of the docking stations were within walking distance of each other."

The same Billy Cameron who on his website boasts "Billy led a campaign along with residents for the removal of the Coke-Zero bike docking station outside private residences on University Rd. and have the road re-instated to its previous condition."

That was one of the most useful locations, but thanks to Billy it's back to a handful of parking spaces which are mostly unused except for the Tesco delivery trucks.

what_traffic

J o e wrote: »

"Councillor Billy Cameron described the scheme as a “complete hames” when it opened because most of the docking stations were within walking distance of each other."

The same Billy Cameron who on his website boasts "Billy led a campaign along with residents for the removal of the Coke-Zero bike docking station outside private residences on University Rd. and have the road re-instated to its previous condition."

That was one of the most useful locations, but thanks to Billy it's back to a handful of parking spaces which are mostly unused except for the Tesco delivery trucks.

He has some neck alright. He has to take some of the responsibility for creating said "hames".
That NUIG station was to be a 30 bike station and would have given Galway City much greater usage numbers based on its location and size of the station. The "busiest" stations are that on the periphery of the bikeshare scheme in Galway.

galwaycyclist

The Galway Cycling Campaign raised the issue of the one-way streets and negative impact on the bikeshare in a submission to the Govt for Budget 2016.

Discussion document is here
http://www.galwaycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GCC_PreBudget2016_Submission_Discussion_Paper_Parking_Levy.pdf

Pages 7 and 8 deal with the bike share situation.

cgcsb

Doesn't bode well for any future Waterford scheme. Perhaps after Limerick it all just get a bit too country. I mean when you have councilors opposed to new fangeled cycling/buses and what not you're really in Healy Rae country.

what_traffic

galwaycyclist wrote: »

The Galway Cycling Campaign raised the issue of the one-way streets and negative impact on the bikeshare in a submission to the Govt for Budget 2016.

Discussion document is here
http://www.galwaycycling.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/GCC_PreBudget2016_Submission_Discussion_Paper_Parking_Levy.pdf

Pages 7 and 8 deal with the bike share situation.

Good example in that document regarding the one-way street issue.

There is a Bikeshare station on Mainguard Street near St Nicholas Church in the background. The distance to the next Bikeshare station at Newtownsmith is 350m. Because of the one-way street system and a ban on cycling in the pedestrian zone, the return journey from Newtownsmith to Mainguard St. is 1.1km by the northern Route and 2.1 km by the southern route.

dinneenp

I love dublin website article - Galway has made a complete balls of its bike scheme

http://lovindublin.com/opinion/galway-has-made-a-complete-balls-of-its-city-bikes-scheme-and-needs-to-learn-from-dublin

what_traffic

dinneenp wrote: »

I love dublin website article - Galway has made a complete balls of its bike scheme

http://lovindublin.com/opinion/galway-has-made-a-complete-balls-of-its-city-bikes-scheme-and-needs-to-learn-from-dublin

Ya Galway City Council have made a complete balls of it alright.

what_traffic

This was covered on Galway Bay FM news this evening
http://galwaybayfm.ie/cycle-group-says-council-to-blame-for-poor-take-up-of-public-bike-scheme/

and via @GalwayCycling who have just posted on twitter link to the following press release
ONE-WAY STREETS IMPEDING BIKE SHARE SUCCESS
http://www.galwaycycling.org/one-way-streets-impeding-bike-share-success/

El_Dangeroso

The one way streets have nothing to do with why I don't use the service, only the fact that all the stations are in the middle of town.

kippy

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

The one way streets have nothing to do with why I don't use the service, only the fact that all the stations are in the middle of town.

Thats a big thing alright.
Galway "city" centre is rather small and doesn't take that long to get around walking.

the untitled user

That's exactly what occured to me also when reading the article. Why the hell didn't they put at least one in Salthill? Plenty of space in Blackrock, or by Seapoint for one. And putting one in near the Caravan parks and B&Bs by Gentian hill would surely get a lot more traffic from tourists.

gordongekko

The issues are well known. A stop at gmit, nuhg, salthill , knocknakarra and renmore and the numbers will jump.

what_traffic

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

The one way streets have nothing to do with why I don't use the service, only the fact that all the stations are in the middle of town.

They are a factor though why people do not use the scheme.

Cycling College Rd to the Firestation means either cycling via Nuns Island or via the Multi Lane One Way road via the docks. Cycling via the Dock Road is not easy for novices, same goes for Merchants Road.

The clear fact is that we have so few stations.
We need at a minimum double the current number of stations.

Only 13 out of 15 stations are active in Galway right now.
21(23) in Limerick and 28(31) in Cork
See
http://bikeshare.ie/

That is why the numbers using the Bikeshare are so low in Galway City.

monument

gordongekko wrote: »

The issues are well known. A stop at gmit, nuhg, salthill , knocknakarra and renmore and the numbers will jump.

NUIG, yes, that's a no brainer. I'd even go for more than one stop around it.

But GMIT's main campus, Salthill, and Knocknakarra are all too far away without building out docking stations first. You can't have large gaps between the outer stations and the main cluster: ~400-500 metres max.

HardyEustace

the untitled user wrote: »

That's exactly what occured to me also when reading the article. Why the hell didn't they put at least one in Salthill? Plenty of space in Blackrock, or by Seapoint for one. And putting one in near the Caravan parks and B&Bs by Gentian hill would surely get a lot more traffic from tourists.

I don't want one in Salthill until they put a decent bike lane in place. I was run into and knocked over by a fat lump who couldn't control a bike yet was cycling on the prom a few years ago. Sadly I was so shocked, I could only whimper a bit and ask if they were ok <insert rolly eyes at myself>. If I'd that time again, I'd start by giving them a clatter and finish by dragging them to the garda station. I was black and blue and still have scars on my arms from where the bike hit me.

galwaycyclist

If you take a bike from the Station on Nuns Island and cycle to Fr Griffin Rd/Raven Terrace the distance is 596m.

To cycle back via the Canal the distance is 1.28km
To cycle back via Market St and Newtownsmith the distance is 1.27km

One step forward, two steps back

the untitled user

monument wrote: »

you can't have large gaps between the outer stations and the main cluster: ~400-500 metres max.

Why not? Most residents and tourists will be cycling directly to/from the centre to Knocknacarra, Salthill, Renmore, etc. anyway.

HardyEustace wrote: »

I don't want one in Salthill until they put a decent bike lane in place. I was run into and knocked over by a fat lump who couldn't control a bike yet was cycling on the prom a few years ago. Sadly I was so shocked, I could only whimper a bit and ask if they were ok <insert rolly eyes at myself>. If I'd that time again, I'd start by giving them a clatter and finish by dragging them to the garda station. I was black and blue and still have scars on my arms from where the bike hit me.

That sounds like a horrible experience, sorry to hear it. But it's hardly justification for not building a bike station. The road itself is well wide enough for cyclists, dozens of residents and tourists a like cycle out by the prom on a daily basis and keep to the roads as they are supposed to.

Zzippy

Another problem with the bike scheme is the ridiculously useless locks. If you go anywhere away from a bike station and have to lock it, the cable is so short that it's almost impossible to stretch it around whatever you want to lock the bike to.

gordongekko

galwaycyclist wrote: »

If you take a bike from the Station on Nuns Island and cycle to Fr Griffin Rd/Raven Terrace the distance is 596m.

To cycle back via the Canal the distance is 1.28km
To cycle back via Market St and Newtownsmith the distance is 1.27km

One step forward, two steps back

I think nuns island is gone. Never any bikes there when i pass anyway.

what_traffic

gordongekko wrote: »

I think nuns island is gone. Never any bikes there when i pass anyway.

Docking station is there, JUST not active. Not a great location to be honest. No NUIG activity anymore at that location and INTREO has moved
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/office/Intreo-Centre-Galway.aspx

gordongekko

According to the website there are 2 stands not in use at the moment.

Fairgreen and nuns island.

If they moved one of theses to toff park and one towards wellpark or nuhg it would be a step in the right direction

what_traffic

gordongekko wrote: »

According to the website there are 2 stands not in use at the moment.

Fairgreen and nuns island.

If they moved one of theses to toff park and one towards wellpark or nuhg it would be a step in the right direction

Ya the Nuns Island could be moved for sure- Fairgreen is a strategic location between the coach station and train/bus station.

monument

the untitled user wrote: »

Why not? Most residents and tourists will be cycling directly to/from the centre to Knocknacarra, Salthill, Renmore, etc. anyway.

Because most on-street public bicycle schemes work when stations are generally around 300-400 metres away from each other. This isn't just a personal opinion -- it's what bicycle share planners and operators say.

This is mainly because when you're leaving a bicycle back or taking one away the docking station should have alternative stations within walking distance. Otherwise a lack of bikes or a lack of spaces is a far larger issue.

So, stations are only in clusters, with distances of 300-400 between them -- maybe a bit shorter in core, high demand areas but rarely up to 500 metres.

ratracer

Even reading some of the replies on this thread, it seems very obvious that a lot of people (councillors included) don't really understand the basic concept of how the bike scheme should work, i.e. why the station's need to be close to each other. This is then down to poor marketing/ advertising of the scheme.

I do feel that the operators haven't managed the existing scheme to a proper level either. What's the story with Nun's Island, all set up and never been used?

I was registered last year, but didn't bother to renew it this year. I don't live in town but had hoped that I could use public transport into town more frequently and then use the bikes to get from the bus/train station to my destinations. Mainguard St was often out of use when I needed to use it, Fr Griffin Rd took forever to come on stream and no sign of further outward development of stations was frustrating. I actually only used the bike ONCE in 12 months!!

Councillors grandstanding for votes giving out about the poor operation but also actively opposing the stations (yes I refer to Billy Cameron here) is sickening. It is such a pity that the scheme has had such a poor uptake, but the City Council, An Rothar Nua, the councillors and other relevant stakeholders really need to have their heads banged together and realise that they are as much of the reason for this as the lack of people signing up to the scheme!!

joeKel73

ratracer wrote: »

I was registered last year, but didn't bother to renew it this year.

It hasn't been operational for a full year yet (nearly) so I'd say you've still got an active subscription, which it seems will renew automatically unless you cancel it.

Edit: Actually it has just passed the year mark! But heads up on the auto-renewal.

HardyEustace

the untitled user wrote: »

That sounds like a horrible experience, sorry to hear it. But it's hardly justification for not building a bike station. The road itself is well wide enough for cyclists, dozens of residents and tourists a like cycle out by the prom on a daily basis and keep to the roads as they are supposed to.

Honestly, thanks for the reply but I really don't agree. I constantly see people cycling on the prom and it just drives me nuts. Plus to be honest, at the height of summer, with the amount of traffic in salthill, I don't think it's terribly too safe to cycle along there. I know of two pals who have been knocked off theri bikes by people opening doors without checking for cyclists.

Not being smart but have you cycled along there? I know it seems like a wide road but when there are cars parked everywhere, it's not really that safe.