JC Decaux to press ahead with bike scheme

Olivia Kelly

Advertising company JC Decaux has said it intends to press ahead with plans for a city bike rental scheme for Dublin despite the rejection by An Bord Pleanála of 18 advertising panels which the company sought in exchange for the bicycles.

The panels were part of the deal between Dublin City Council and international advertising company JC Decaux. The proposal entailed swapping advertising space at locations around the city, estimated to be worth in the region of €1 million annually, for 450 bicycles and four public toilets.

The council had granted permission for 96 advertising structures, approximately half of which were similar in size to bus shelters at 2.59sq m.

The remainder were "Metropoles", larger panels of 7sq m standing on poles 2m off the ground.

However 24 of these were appealed to An Bord Pleanála and 18 of the panels were refused by the board.

A spokesman for JC Decaux said yesterday that the deal for the bicycles was based on the 72 which were not appealed to the board and there would be no change to the agreement following the board's decision.

© 2008 The Irish Times