Belfast Bikes


Belfast Bikes, also known for sponsorship reasons as Just Eat Belfast Bikes as is a public bicycle rental scheme which has operated in the city of Belfast since April 2015. At its launch, the scheme, which was then sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC, used 300 Unisex bicycles with 30 stations.
Belfast City Council owns the scheme. The Department for Regional Development provided initial capital funding for the scheme as part of their Active Travel Demonstration Projects budget. NSL is looking after the daily operation of the scheme, while Nextbike is responsible for the bikes.

Expansion and development

Starting initially with 30 stations, the number has increased to 45, and has expanded beyond the city centre area. This includes two stations at Queen's University Belfast, one close to the Titanic Belfast Convention Centre, and at the Mater, Royal Victoria and Belfast City Hospitals. Locations in more residential areas is also a new feature of the expanding scheme.
Plans for expansion are ratified by vote by Belfast City Council Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

Sponsorship

At its launch the scheme was sponsored by Coca-Cola HBC for a three-year period and was known as Coca-Cola Zero Belfast Bikes. In April 2018 this sponsorship deal ended and after a tendering process Just Eat were named as the new sponsors in August 2018 with the scheme to be branded as Just Eat Belfast Bikes.

Costs

To use the system, users need to take out a subscription, which allows the subscriber an unlimited number of rentals. Subscribers can get an Annual Hire Card costing £25, or a 3-day ticket costing £6. Users also authorise Belfast Bikes to charge £120 from their credit card if the bike is not returned. The first half-hour of every journey is free, after that a service charge applies. See below for pricing structure:
Time30 min1 hr2 hrs3 hrs4 hrs
RateFree£0.50£1.50£2.50£3.50

In response to a Freedom of Information request, Belfast City Council published financial figures relating to subsidies to the scheme. In its first year, the Council subsidised it to the tune of £173,000. From April 2016 to April 2017, this increased to £215,000, despite a Business Case showing subsidies would reduce from £56,440, £23,050 and return a profit of £10,730.

Stations

NameBikesLaunch Date
Alfred Street / St Malachy's Church1427 April 2015
Arthur Street / Chichester Street1827 April 2015
Bankmore Square / Dublin Road1627 April 2015
Botanic Avenue / Shaftesbury Square1627 April 2015
Bradbury Place1627 April 2015
Carrick Hill / St Patricks Church1227 April 2015
Castle Place / Royal Avenue2227 April 2015
Cathedral Gardens / York Street2027 April 2015
Central Station / East Bridge Street2027 April 2015
Central Station / Mays Meadow2027 April 2015
City Hall2027 April 2015
College Square East1627 April 2015
Corporation Square1427 April 2015
Cotton Court / Waring Street1227 April 2015
Donegall Quay1627 April 2015
Dunbar Link / Gordon Street827 April 2015
Duncairn Centre / Antrim Road827 April 2015
Europa Bus Station / Blackstaff Square1627 April 2015
Gasworks 1227 April 2015
Gasworks 1627 April 2015
Great Victoria Street / Hope Street1827 April 2015
Linenhall Street / Donegall Square South1627 April 2015
Millfield / Divis Street1827 April 2015
North Street / Waring Street1627 April 2015
Odyssey / Sydenham Road2227 April 2015
Royal Avenue / Castlecourt1227 April 2015
Smithfield / Winetavern Street1227 April 2015
St George's Market / Cromac Square1227 April 2015
Victoria Square / Victoria Street1027 April 2015
Waterfront2427 April 2015
Writer's Square / St Anne's Cathedral1627 April 2015
Queens University / Botanic Gardens1427 November 2015
Queens University / University Road1627 November 2015
Titanic Quarter181 December 2015
Belfast City Hospital / Lisburn Road141 August 2016
Royal Victoria Hospital201 August 2016
Mater Hospital / Crumlin Road107 September 2016
Girdwood Community Hub1813 October 2016
Shankill Leisure Centre1813 October 2016
CS Lewis Square1622 November 2016

See here for a map of the current Belfast Bike docking stations.