Belfast Friends of the Earth held a lunchtime seminar filling the venue with 25 cyclists, to hear about plans for the exciting new Belfast Bike Hire Scheme which will see 300 hire bikes at over 30 locations in Belfast by 2015. It was announced in August 2012 that DRD would be investing £700k towards a Belfast Cycle Hire scheme like those now used in London and Dublin. During the briefing Anne Doherty of Belfast City Council presented the background to the Scheme as well as the Councils plans to have it operational by 2015. The seminar took place on Tuesday 25th September at PLACE, 40 Fountain Street, Belfast.
It is hoped that the Bike Hire Scheme will bring many benefits to Belfast including reduced congestion in the city centre, less pollution and a more inclusive community where people of all ages will be safe to cycle to school or work. Andrew McMurray, Belfast Friends of the Earth Co-ordinator said “These cycle schemes have been a major success in many cities and we whole heartedly back this scheme and when combined with reallocation of road space away from cars, will take us on the first steps towards a cycling city.”
Belfast Cycle City Campaign is run by Belfast Friends of the Earth to establish Belfast as one of the top ten cycle cities in Europe by 2020. For more information visit www.belfastcyclecity.org.uk or contact Andrew McMurray, Belfast Friends of the Earth on 0790 99 00 883.