The Covid pandemic and different components led to “exceptionally excessive utilization” of Belfast Bikes final yr, in accordance with Belfast Metropolis Council (BCC).
Almost 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 Belfast Bike leases had been recorded within the 2021/22 monetary yr, figures present.
That is in comparison with 65,334 leases the earlier monetary yr and 137,249 in 2019/20.
The Belfast Bikes scheme was launched again in 2015 and has grown in reputation ever since. There are at the moment greater than 400 bikes and 49 docking stations throughout the town, with growth plans afoot.
An funding of round £500,000 will see one other 15 docking stations added to the community within the close to future.
One situation that has been negatively impacting the scheme is vandalism.
In 2021/22, vandalism of the bikes and docking stations value BCC £13,913, with £4,077 incurred thus far this monetary yr.
Inexperienced Occasion councillor Brian Smyth mentioned he's “delighted” with the “large” success of the Belfast Bikes scheme.
“It’s clear proof that the folks of this metropolis have embraced it and the urge for food for biking has grown over the previous couple of years,” he mentioned.
“The advantages from the scheme are a number of: fewer automobile journeys, improved air high quality, higher well being outcomes from train.
“As Inexperienced councillors within the metropolis, we'll proceed to push for the additional roll-out of Belfast Bike stations into each nook of the town.
“What we now want is for this success and future ambitions to be matched by the Division for Infrastructure and the supply of the Belfast Biking Community Supply Plan to create protected, segregated routes for folks to get again on their bikes.”
Based on a briefing paper ready for members of BCC’s Metropolis Progress and Regeneration Committee this week, the set up of 4 new Belfast Bikes docking stations — positioned at Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre, Olympia Leisure Centre, Kennedy Centre and the Waterworks — have both been not too long ago accomplished or will probably be quickly be accomplished, whereas an extra 15 docking stations have been proposed throughout the town.
In 2020, a movement was tabled by Inexperienced Occasion councillor Mal O’Hara calling for under-25s to be given free entry to the bikes.
Based on the aforementioned briefing paper, officers warned that, with free entry, there can be no impetus for the shopper to return the bike to a dock after it's used, resulting in lowered availability for others and potential theft.