A public bike scheme for Galway, which would see 250 shared bicycles made available for use in the city, is seeking sponsorship from businesses and commercial entities.
A budget of €1.7 million had been earmarked by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for the project. Funding provision to cover the capital costs of the scheme have also been made in the Government’s five-year allocation for Smarter Travel and Carbon Reduction Measures funding.
However, the operational costs of the scheme over a 15-year period are expected to amount to around €3.8 million and this is seen as requiring investment from the private sector.
As a result the National Transport Authority is seeking sponsorship. The prospective sponsor would obtain naming rights to the bike scheme and ownership of advertising space on the bicycles and the proposed 20 docking stations for them.
Fine Gael Galway West TD Brian Walsh said a similar bike scheme has operated in Dublin successfully since 2009 and he feels it will also work well in Galway.
“Galway was identified as the most suitable city for the introduction of such a scheme in a feasibility study last year, which highlighted the massive potential for the rollout of a bike rental scheme,” he said.
Dep Walsh is calling on local businesses to support the scheme. The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest in sponsoring the public bike scheme is Tuesday December 18.
