Dublin's First Bike Library

by Glaze Dev September 9, 2023

Bleeper is delighted to be working with Francesco Pilla of University College Dublin on an innovative 'Bike Library' project in Harold's Cross Educate Together National School.

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This initiative enables the parents of children who attend the school to try out a variety of bicycles for their school journey, including ebikes, folding bikes and cargo bikes - along with accessories such as child seats and carrier racks to carry school bags and child passengers.

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Parents and children receiving their new bikes at Harold's Cross ETNS

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This is the first Bike Library of its kind in Ireland and Bleeper is supplying the bikes and maintenance for the project, as well as compiling usage and trip data via GPS tracking devices in each of the bikes.

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The Bike Library has also featured on national television in Ireland, with RTÉ News broadcasting a reportabout the initiative on the main evening news bulletin.

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Richard Greene from Bleeper shows participants a Bimas electric cargobike

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The Bike Library is being led by Professor Francesco Pilla of University College Dublin, with support and funding for the initiative coming from Science Foundation Ireland and the European Commission.

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Bike Library participants take their Bimas e-cargobikes for a test ride

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"It's about giving a choice to parents when they are travelling to school with their kids," says Professor Pilla. "A choice to use a bike rather than a car. It's all about trying to meet the climate targets for Dublin and having more sustainable options than the car."

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Francesco Pilla of UCD is leading the Bike Libraby initiative

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It is hoped that this pilot project will persuade local authorities and central government to fund similar bike library projects in other schools in Dublin and across the country.

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Bleeper would be more than happy to work with any school or organisation that is interested in setting up a bike library in their own local area - just get in touch!