Harold's Cross

It’s a pilot project in Harold’s Cross Educate together of a Bike Library!

Parents at the Educate Together National School in Harold’s Cross, Dublin are getting the chance to borrow cargo bikes, e-bikes or folding bikes as part of a new bike library pilot project.

It is being run by Francesco Pilla who is a Professor of Smart Cities at University College Dublin.

He says: “It’s about giving a choice to parents when they are travelling to school with their kids, a choice to use a bike rather than a car.”

While cycling is one of the cheapest forms of transport, the initial cost of buying a bike, particularly cargo or e-bikes which cost thousands of euros, prevent it from being an affordable or attractive option for many.

Prof Pilla explains: “As e-cargo bikes are quite expensive, I think that creates a barrier because parents or families don’t feel like investing such an amount of money….but I think once they try them and feel the convenience, how it’s easy to go around and bring kids to school they might want to invest”.

In Harold’s Cross, families are already taking delivery of a free loan bike.

For more information see rte.ie/news/dublin/20… via ⁦‪@rte