1001 Smart Cities
🇮🇪 Dublin

dublinbikes: Bike Share Paid for With Billboards

🤖 AI-generated summary · ◆ 17 sourced claims · 🔎 Last verified

This overview was generated with AI from the public sources listed below and checked against them before publication. It has not had a complete human fact-check — treat it as a starting point and follow the sources.

17 sourced claims on this page, none individually verified yet — turn on “Sources in the text” to see each one.

How this atlas is made · What “last verified” means · What “source-checked” means · The full record behind this page

Dublin paid for its bike share with billboards, so JCDecaux, not the city, owns the 1,600 bikes and docks. Trips fell from 3,816,652 in 2019 to 2,001,810 in 2022; the deal ends in 2027.

Outcome🔄 Ongoing
Evidence🏛️ Official
what does this mean?The strongest source is the operator's or the city's own reporting — an official report, dataset or press release. It grades who did the looking — not how well the project went. All four grades →
Run byJCDecaux Ireland, under a concession from Dublin City Council
Scale🏘️ District
CostAnnual operating cost around €2.5 million, per the council
FundingJCDecaux advertising concession, council maintenance fees, National Transport Authority capital grants, sponsorship, and subscriptions and hire fees

Part of 1001 Smart Cities — 1,176 documented projects · 🏙️ 10 more in Dublin · 🚲 Cycling guide · 🚲 Mobility projects

Dublin City Council launched dublinbikes in September 2009 with 450 bikes at 40 stations, paid for not in cash but in street space: JCDecaux built and runs the scheme in return for advertising sites around the city. It has grown to about 1,600 bikes at 115 docking stations, largely inside the canals, and in March 2021 half the fleet — 800 bikes — became hybrid electric bikes, powered by a portable battery that subscribers carry. Every station reports its available bikes and free docks to a public feed in the General Bikeshare Feed Specification, which the council lists on the Smart Dublin open-data portal with vehicle locations updated every minute and monthly historical station files. JCDecaux, not the council, owns the bikes and the station equipment.

Live 📅 since 2009

📊 Impact

Riders had made more than 38 million journeys by November 2024, and 96 per cent of journeys fall within the free first half-hour. Use has not recovered its pre-pandemic level: council data counts 3,816,652 trips in 2019 and 2,001,810 in 2022, and yearly subscribers fell about 6% in the year to November 2022. The network has not grown in years; in November 2024 the council's chief executive put the deficit at 'probably north of half a million per annum' and said expansion was not under consideration. In May 2026 the council said it will let the JCDecaux contract expire in September 2027 and procure a new scheme of around 4,000 classic and electric bikes in which it owns the stations and possibly the bikes.

🎓 Lesson

Trading billboards for bikes bought Dublin its first 450 bikes without a cash price, but it left the council owning neither bikes nor docks and tied every expansion to the advertiser's contract — council managers say taking the scheme beyond the canals would require changing it. The billboards also fell unevenly: a council report found the northside with 59 per cent of the advertising units and 35 per cent of the bike stations. The replacement separates the two, with council-owned stations and an operations contract, while the 82 billboards are due to come down when the concession ends.

🚲 MobilityCyclingShared mobilityOpen dataSensors & IoT

Sources

↗ The Irish Times, on the council ending the JCDecaux contract (media)Published 22 May 2026Irish Times report of 22 May 2026: 'JCDecaux owns the 1,600 bikes and their stands at 115 hire stations across the city. The company's agreement with the council expires in September 2027.' The council plans its own scheme in which 'it will own the stations and possibly also the bikes', with one operator, classic and e-bikes and 'a fleet or around 4,000 bikes'. Describes the scheme as loss-making and not expanded in eight years; records the sponsors (Just Eat 2017, Now TV 2020 at €2.25 million over three years, RedClick from late 2024) and notes that Bleeper and Moby run separate stationless schemes of about 900 bikes under council licence. A correction notes an earlier version wrongly said the scheme would end this year.
↗ The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)Published 22 May 2026The Journal, 22 May 2026: JCDecaux operates the scheme on the council's behalf 'in return for public space to erect its billboards and brightly lit digital displays'; around 1,600 bikes at 115 stations 'within the canals'; the contract finishes in September 2027; a council report 'will note that it doesn't own the bikes or the station equipment'; the council will run a procurement for a new city-wide scheme with an 'operational, maintenance and upgrade contractor'.
↗ Dublin Inquirer, on the billboards tied to the scheme (media)Published 18 September 2026Dublin Inquirer, 18 September 2026: the 'bikes for billboards' contract gives JCDecaux 82 advertising billboards; under the first contract (2006) for 40 stations and 450 bikes JCDecaux got advertising space in exchange for running the scheme; later expansions were funded by National Transport Authority grants, sponsorship and council maintenance fees (a council report mentions €2.5 million a year), and the council takes about €350,000 a year of digital advertising income. A council report showed the northside with 59 per cent of the advertising units and 35 per cent of the bike stations. The council says the contract expires on 30 September 2027 and all advertising units under it must then be removed.
↗ Dublin Inquirer, on competing visions for the next contract (media)Published 1 September 2026Dublin Inquirer, 1 September 2026: citing a May council report, 1,600 bikes at 115 dedicated stations; the scheme has stayed largely inside the canals despite repeated requests to expand, which 'would require changes to the council's contract with JC Decaux, council managers said'; the next contract goes to tender next year, with JCDecaux, Lyft, Lime and Bleeper interested; the council licenses the stationless operators Bleeper (from 2018) and Moby (from 2020) separately.
↗ IrishCycle.com, on usage after the pandemic (media)Published 22 February 2023IrishCycle.com, 22 February 2023, on data released by Dublin City Council: '2,001,810 trips by users in 2022 compared to 3,816,652 in 2019'; yearly subscribers fell about 6% between November 2021 and November 2022 while short-term subscribers rose 270%; the upgraded app allows unlocking bikes by phone; the council puts the annual operating cost at around €2.5 million, offset by sponsorship, advertising, subscriptions and fees.
Show 6 more sourcesShow fewer
↗ The Irish Times, dublinbikes ten years on (media)Published 31 August 2019Irish Times, 31 August 2019: the scheme launched in September 2009 with 450 bicycles at 40 stations, since grown to 1,600 bicycles at 116 stations; 27.3 million journeys and more than 66,000 long-term members; the bikes were provided by JCDecaux in exchange for outdoor advertising space estimated at €1 million a year at the time. The council chief executive: 'The Dublinbikes scheme has sort of reached a plateau'.
↗ The Irish Times, on the 2024 sponsorship and deficit (media)Published 6 November 2024Irish Times, 6 November 2024: the council's chief executive says expansion is 'currently not under consideration' and 'The current deficit is probably north of half a million per annum'; 'More than 38 million journeys have been completed on DublinBikes since its introduction'; average journey 15 minutes and '96 per cent of journeys are free'.
↗ JCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes announcement, 25 Feb 2021 (operator)Joint announcement by Dublin City Council, JCDecaux and the National Transport Authority: 50% of the fleet of 1,600 upgraded to hybrid electric bikes from 30 March 2021, run on a personal portable battery (up to 8 km per charge) for annual subscribers at €60 a year extra; funding for the e-bikes provided by the NTA to Dublin City Council; follows a new app-based system allowing members to take bikes out by phone.
↗ JCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes launch notice, 26 Mar 2021 (operator)Operator notice: 'From today (30th March) 800 hybrid electric bikes will form part of the total fleet of 1,600.' The page is dated 26 March 2021.
↗ Smart Dublin, Dublinbikes API dataset (official)Dublin City Council's dataset on the Smart Dublin open-data portal: a GBFS API with information on vehicles, stations and pricing, where 'The current location of the vehicles is updated every minute', plus historical station files, published monthly into 2026, under a CC BY licence. It links the JCDecaux GBFS feed and developer API. A continuously revised portal page.
↗ JCDecaux, dublinbikes GBFS station_status feed (operator)The live GBFS 2.3 station-status feed: for each of 115 stations, bikes available split into mechanical and electrical, free docks, and whether the station is renting and returning. A live feed with no publication date.

📅 How old is the evidence?

Two clocks, kept apart: when this entry’s sources were published, and what has happened to its record in the atlas. Documented span: since 2009. 9 of 11 sources carry a publication date, from 31 August 2019 to 18 September 2026.

When the sources were published

  1. The Irish Times · pressThe Irish Times, dublinbikes ten years on (media)
  2. JCDecaux Ireland · operatorJCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes announcement, 25 Feb 2021 (operator)
  3. JCDecaux Ireland · operatorJCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes launch notice, 26 Mar 2021 (operator)
  4. IrishCycle.com · pressIrishCycle.com, on usage after the pandemic (media)
  5. The Irish Times · pressThe Irish Times, on the 2024 sponsorship and deficit (media)
  6. The Irish Times · pressThe Irish Times, on the council ending the JCDecaux contract (media)
  7. The Journal · pressThe Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)
  8. Dublin Inquirer · pressDublin Inquirer, on competing visions for the next contract (media)
Show 1 more dated sourcesShow fewer
  1. Dublin Inquirer · pressDublin Inquirer, on the billboards tied to the scheme (media)

Every source, with links ↑

What happened to this record

  1. Entered the record
  2. Sources last read

Every revision, permanent →

Show your work What this page rests on and what it can’t tell you · all 17 claims with their sources · the forensic record

Evidence Passport · public beta 17 addressable claims, 11 source dossiers, one permanent baseline. The passport is unreviewed — an AI-assisted structural migration, not a human or expert endorsement. Every revision keeps a permanent copy under revision history.

Inspect the claims, one by one — verbatim text, sources and caveats for all 17

The text below is copied verbatim from the published record. Each claim names the source dossiers that carry it; caveats stay attached to the claim they qualify.

Claim 1 clm-7af820ae935881b4 quantitative
launched dublinbikes in September 2009 with 450 bikes at 40 stations
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The 2019 report states the scheme was launched in September 2009 and began with 450 bicycles at 40 stations.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Irish Times, dublinbikes ten years on (media)
Claim 2 clm-cdd47bd2487a5960 descriptive
JCDecaux built and runs the scheme in return for advertising sites around the city
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The Journal: JCDecaux operates the scheme on the council's behalf in return for public space for its billboards and digital displays; the Irish Times: JCDecaux funded the scheme in exchange for advertising panels.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)
  2. The Irish Times, on the council ending the JCDecaux contract (media)
Claim 3 clm-de8d3efa79663303 quantitative
It has grown to about 1,600 bikes at 115 docking stations, largely inside the canals
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
Both 2026 reports give around 1,600 bikes at 115 stations, within the canals.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)
  2. Dublin Inquirer, on competing visions for the next contract (media)
Claim 4 clm-1e67b14a51847570 quantitative
in March 2021 half the fleet — 800 bikes — became hybrid electric bikes, powered by a portable battery that subscribers carry
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The joint announcement upgrades 50% of the 1,600-bike fleet to hybrid electric from 30 March 2021, powered by a personal portable battery delivered to subscribers; the launch notice gives 800 hybrid bikes in a fleet of 1,600.
Caveat
The operator's figures describe the 2021 upgrade; no dated source gives the current electric share.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. JCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes launch notice, 26 Mar 2021 (operator)
  2. JCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes announcement, 25 Feb 2021 (operator)
Claim 5 clm-7b1d8e3ae7710c02 descriptive
Every station reports its available bikes and free docks to a public feed in the General Bikeshare Feed Specification
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The live GBFS station_status feed lists, per station, bikes available (mechanical and electrical) and docks available; the council's dataset describes it as a GBFS API.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. JCDecaux, dublinbikes GBFS station_status feed (operator)
  2. Smart Dublin, Dublinbikes API dataset (official)
Claim 6 clm-9091b50fcdffb544 descriptive
with vehicle locations updated every minute and monthly historical station files
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The dataset text reads 'The current location of the vehicles is updated every minute' and lists monthly historical station files.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Smart Dublin, Dublinbikes API dataset (official)
Claim 7 clm-97136656f350c053 descriptive
JCDecaux, not the council, owns the bikes and the station equipment
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The Irish Times: JCDecaux owns the 1,600 bikes and their stands; The Journal: a council report notes it does not own the bikes or the station equipment.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Irish Times, on the council ending the JCDecaux contract (media)
  2. The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)
Claim 8 clm-54c48c932af5fdd7 quantitative
Riders had made more than 38 million journeys by November 2024, and 96 per cent of journeys fall within the free first half-hour
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The November 2024 report gives more than 38 million journeys since introduction and says 96 per cent of journeys are free.
Caveat
A cumulative total since 2009, not an annual figure.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Irish Times, on the 2024 sponsorship and deficit (media)
Claim 9 clm-3794254b8930b20b quantitative
council data counts 3,816,652 trips in 2019 and 2,001,810 in 2022
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
Data released by the council gives 2,001,810 trips in 2022 against 3,816,652 in 2019.
Caveat
No later annual totals were found in a dated source.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. IrishCycle.com, on usage after the pandemic (media)
Claim 10 clm-aa03bfa4f9c8cf5a quantitative
yearly subscribers fell about 6% in the year to November 2022
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
Yearly subscribers fell by around 6% between November 2021 and November 2022, while short-term subscribers rose.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. IrishCycle.com, on usage after the pandemic (media)
Claim 11 clm-68999779964fc721 quantitative
in November 2024 the council's chief executive put the deficit at 'probably north of half a million per annum' and said expansion was not under consideration
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
Richard Shakespeare said expansion was 'currently not under consideration' and 'The current deficit is probably north of half a million per annum'.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Irish Times, on the 2024 sponsorship and deficit (media)
Claim 12 clm-e0cb88398b7936dd quantitative
In May 2026 the council said it will let the JCDecaux contract expire in September 2027 and procure a new scheme of around 4,000 classic and electric bikes in which it owns the stations and possibly the bikes
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The council plans its own scheme after the agreement expires in September 2027, owning the stations and possibly the bikes, with one operator and around 4,000 classic and e-bikes.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Irish Times, on the council ending the JCDecaux contract (media)
  2. The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)
Claim 13 clm-d4f3390ced481fff quantitative
Trading billboards for bikes bought Dublin its first 450 bikes without a cash price
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
Under the first contract, for 40 stations and 450 bikes, JCDecaux got advertising space and in exchange ran the scheme.
Caveat
Later expansions were paid for with National Transport Authority grants, sponsorship and council fees.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Dublin Inquirer, on the billboards tied to the scheme (media)
Claim 14 clm-2ddfe5ca1644aa33 descriptive
council managers say taking the scheme beyond the canals would require changing it
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
Expanding beyond the canals 'would require changes to the council's contract with JC Decaux, council managers said'.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Dublin Inquirer, on competing visions for the next contract (media)
Claim 15 clm-b88a8163e6240386 quantitative
a council report found the northside with 59 per cent of the advertising units and 35 per cent of the bike stations
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
A council report showed the northside with 59 percent of the advertising units and 35 percent of the stations, the southside 41 and 65.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Dublin Inquirer, on the billboards tied to the scheme (media)
Claim 16 clm-6cfe71e595cc9171 descriptive
with council-owned stations and an operations contract
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The council believes it should own the stations and potentially the bikes, with an operational, maintenance and upgrade contractor.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media)
Claim 17 clm-b6efae9f57c950c6 quantitative
the 82 billboards are due to come down when the concession ends
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this passport
What the mapping says
The contract covers 82 advertising billboards, and the council says all advertising units in the contract must be removed after expiry, though no timeline is agreed.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Dublin Inquirer, on the billboards tied to the scheme (media)
Forensic record — source dossiers, gaps, hashes and the exact revision this page renders

This layer records what is known about each source, what is still missing, and the exact snapshot this page is rendering. A missing date, archive or hash stays visible as missing.

unreviewed Revision 2026-09-25-baseline effective 2026-09-25 · created 2026-09-25

Awaiting operator and domain-expert review; publication of this revision implies neither.

sha256:aeb726a5f034677f617b1f39ac82b6d50558af56878fae12e2ac2c8df6cf9a95
Revision history → Permanent version link → Machine-readable record → Evidence Constitution →
17
of 17 claims mapped
11
source dossiers
9
publication dates recorded
0
archives linked
0
exact locators
0
content captures hashed

Governance facts carried by the record

Operator
JCDecaux Ireland, under a concession from Dublin City Council
Actor types
city-government, private, national-government
Funding model
ppp
Funding description
JCDecaux advertising concession, council maintenance fees, National Transport Authority capital grants, sponsorship, and subscriptions and hire fees
Cost
Annual operating cost around €2.5 million, per the council
Ownership
Not recorded
Decision rights
Not recorded
Exit conditions
Not recorded

11 source dossiers

The Irish Times, on the council ending the JCDecaux contract (media) irishtimes.com · 3 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-50cd983959ec85ee
Publisher
Name not classified · irishtimes.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2026-05-22
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Irish Times report of 22 May 2026: 'JCDecaux owns the 1,600 bikes and their stands at 115 hire stations across the city. The company's agreement with the council expires in September 2027.' The council plans its own scheme in which 'it will own the stations and possibly also the bikes', with one operator, classic and e-bikes and 'a fleet or around 4,000 bikes'. Describes the scheme as loss-making and not expanded in eight years; records the sponsors (Just Eat 2017, Now TV 2020 at €2.25 million over three years, RedClick from late 2024) and notes that Bleeper and Moby run separate stationless schemes of about 900 bikes under council licence. A correction notes an earlier version wrongly said the scheme would end this year.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
The Journal, on the scheme's end and the council's plan (media) thejournal.ie · 5 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-d8ca5d5abb4d84b4
Publisher
Name not classified · thejournal.ie
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2026-05-22
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

The Journal, 22 May 2026: JCDecaux operates the scheme on the council's behalf 'in return for public space to erect its billboards and brightly lit digital displays'; around 1,600 bikes at 115 stations 'within the canals'; the contract finishes in September 2027; a council report 'will note that it doesn't own the bikes or the station equipment'; the council will run a procurement for a new city-wide scheme with an 'operational, maintenance and upgrade contractor'.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
Dublin Inquirer, on the billboards tied to the scheme (media) dublininquirer.com · 3 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-d7a05b71aacb1598
Publisher
Name not classified · dublininquirer.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2026-09-18
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Dublin Inquirer, 18 September 2026: the 'bikes for billboards' contract gives JCDecaux 82 advertising billboards; under the first contract (2006) for 40 stations and 450 bikes JCDecaux got advertising space in exchange for running the scheme; later expansions were funded by National Transport Authority grants, sponsorship and council maintenance fees (a council report mentions €2.5 million a year), and the council takes about €350,000 a year of digital advertising income. A council report showed the northside with 59 per cent of the advertising units and 35 per cent of the bike stations. The council says the contract expires on 30 September 2027 and all advertising units under it must then be removed.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
Dublin Inquirer, on competing visions for the next contract (media) dublininquirer.com · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-02bd3488d6cb6526
Publisher
Name not classified · dublininquirer.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2026-09-01
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Dublin Inquirer, 1 September 2026: citing a May council report, 1,600 bikes at 115 dedicated stations; the scheme has stayed largely inside the canals despite repeated requests to expand, which 'would require changes to the council's contract with JC Decaux, council managers said'; the next contract goes to tender next year, with JCDecaux, Lyft, Lime and Bleeper interested; the council licenses the stationless operators Bleeper (from 2018) and Moby (from 2020) separately.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
IrishCycle.com, on usage after the pandemic (media) irishcycle.com · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-67709ba10a941f4e
Publisher
Name not classified · irishcycle.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2023-02-22
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

IrishCycle.com, 22 February 2023, on data released by Dublin City Council: '2,001,810 trips by users in 2022 compared to 3,816,652 in 2019'; yearly subscribers fell about 6% between November 2021 and November 2022 while short-term subscribers rose 270%; the upgraded app allows unlocking bikes by phone; the council puts the annual operating cost at around €2.5 million, offset by sponsorship, advertising, subscriptions and fees.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
The Irish Times, dublinbikes ten years on (media) irishtimes.com · 1 linked claim

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-4db0e35553d9a08c
Publisher
Name not classified · irishtimes.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2019-08-31
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Irish Times, 31 August 2019: the scheme launched in September 2009 with 450 bicycles at 40 stations, since grown to 1,600 bicycles at 116 stations; 27.3 million journeys and more than 66,000 long-term members; the bikes were provided by JCDecaux in exchange for outdoor advertising space estimated at €1 million a year at the time. The council chief executive: 'The Dublinbikes scheme has sort of reached a plateau'.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
The Irish Times, on the 2024 sponsorship and deficit (media) irishtimes.com · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-c44d2955a395f9e2
Publisher
Name not classified · irishtimes.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2024-11-06
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Irish Times, 6 November 2024: the council's chief executive says expansion is 'currently not under consideration' and 'The current deficit is probably north of half a million per annum'; 'More than 38 million journeys have been completed on DublinBikes since its introduction'; average journey 15 minutes and '96 per cent of journeys are free'.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
JCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes announcement, 25 Feb 2021 (operator) jcdecaux.ie · 1 linked claim

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-bc86198b144b06ea
Publisher
Name not classified · jcdecaux.ie
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2021-02-25
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Joint announcement by Dublin City Council, JCDecaux and the National Transport Authority: 50% of the fleet of 1,600 upgraded to hybrid electric bikes from 30 March 2021, run on a personal portable battery (up to 8 km per charge) for annual subscribers at €60 a year extra; funding for the e-bikes provided by the NTA to Dublin City Council; follows a new app-based system allowing members to take bikes out by phone.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
JCDecaux Ireland, e-dublinbikes launch notice, 26 Mar 2021 (operator) jcdecaux.ie · 1 linked claim

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-8251e62754f2686f
Publisher
Name not classified · jcdecaux.ie
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2021-03-26
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Operator notice: 'From today (30th March) 800 hybrid electric bikes will form part of the total fleet of 1,600.' The page is dated 26 March 2021.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
Smart Dublin, Dublinbikes API dataset (official) data.smartdublin.ie · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-40936f6e3a6d3657
Publisher
Name not classified · data.smartdublin.ie
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
Not recorded
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Dublin City Council's dataset on the Smart Dublin open-data portal: a GBFS API with information on vehicles, stations and pricing, where 'The current location of the vehicles is updated every minute', plus historical station files, published monthly into 2026, under a CC BY licence. It links the JCDecaux GBFS feed and developer API. A continuously revised portal page.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
JCDecaux, dublinbikes GBFS station_status feed (operator) api.cyclocity.fr · 1 linked claim

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-e1c46e4f62847d88
Publisher
Name not classified · api.cyclocity.fr
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
Not recorded
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-09-25
Dossier created
2026-09-25
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

The live GBFS 2.3 station-status feed: for each of 115 stations, bikes available split into mechanical and electrical, free docks, and whether the station is renting and returning. A live feed with no publication date.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Claims linked
Known limits of this passport
  • Publisher names and source languages have not yet been classified; domains are recorded without guessing.
  • Existing source notes are descriptive locators, not page- or paragraph-exact citations.
  • A missing archive, publication date or content hash is shown as null rather than inferred.
  • The project-level evidence grade ranks the strongest source in the entry; it is not a truth score for every claim.

Continue exploring

Compare this project

🇩🇪 MVG Rad Bike-Share · Munich Both station bike shares on a fixed-term contract; the question is who owns the fleet when the term ends. 🇹🇼 YouBike Public Bike-Share · Taipei Launched the same year: Taipei's contract hands assets to the city, Dublin's billboard deal leaves them with JCDecaux. 🇪🇪 Tartu Smart Bike Share: Bike Share Run as Public Transport · Tartu Ownership split: Tartu owns every bike but not the software; Dublin owns neither and plans to own the stations next.

Explore the wider context

🔑 Your Smart City Is Owned by Someone Else📖 Geofencing📖 Open data📖 Urban data platform (UDP)
📎 Cite this project

1001 Smart Cities (2026). “dublinbikes: Bike Share Paid for With Billboards” — Dublin, Ireland. The Smart City Atlas. https://1001smartcities.org/projects/dublin-dublinbikes/ (last verified 2026-09-25). Data: CC BY 4.0.

The underlying data is free to reuse with attribution — see the open data page.

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