There are no plans to include Ferrybank in the TFI bike scheme until at least 2027.
Cllr Eamon Quinlan raised the issue during the Council meeting for the Metropolitan Area in April. There are currently 14 TFI bike stations dotted around Waterford City facilitating 220 bikes. They can be borrowed for an annual fee of €10, or €3 for a 3 days pass—although a guarantee or security deposit can also be required.
“There are docking stations all around the city, some years ago we applied to have Ferrybank included in that and we were turned down at the time,” Cllr. Quinlan said.
“It has been pointed out to me by several people in Waterford City centre by people who are using the bike sharing scheme. When they live in Ferrybank they have to drop off their bikes onto Hanover Street just off the quay and walk across the bridge and dock road.
“Given the plans with the opening of the sustainable bridge, and the fact that there isn’t going to be transport across it. It seems like a great time to reply to TFI to get a docking station in Ferrybank so that people can use bicycles to cross and park up.
“There is clearly a demand for it — 6,000 people in Ferrybank, it just makes sense,” he added.
In reply, Senior Engineer, Paul Johnston, said: “There is a review currently, unfortunately it hasn’t been progressed through to funding this year. We hope there would be funding to undertake that expansion of that scheme in 2027, and that would include Ferrybank, and we are discussing that with our colleagues in Kilkenny County Council”.
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
