Workplace event doubles number cycling says transport authority

Cycling commuters in the morning rush hour on O'Connell Street  (file picture)
Cycling commuters in the morning rush hour on O’Connell Street, Dublin

An event which pitted large workplaces against each other has helped double the number cycling to work at participating companies, the National Transport Authority has said.

“Notably, 89% of participating cyclists plan to cycle on the commute now that the Challenge has ended – that’s double the number cycling before the event,” said Gerry Murphy, chief executive of the National Transport Authority (NTA). “Congratulations to all of the workplaces and participants, we hope you continue to be active as you travel and enjoy all of the associated benefits.”

The cross-border ‘10 Minute Cycle Challenge’ included 1,000 people across 55 workplaces around the island of Ireland.

Prize-winners came from workplaces in both the Republic and Northern Ireland, with the overall Challenge winners being ‘The JAG’s Tap Cyclepaths’ team from Eirgrid. The JAG’s Tap Cyclepaths team clocked up an average of 118 journeys each over the course of the three week Challenge. The team ‘P.J. Fenlon’ from GlaxoSmithKline picked up the Smarter Travel Workplaces top prize, and the ‘Digital Donkeys’ from Belfast City Council won the Travelwise Northern Ireland top prize.

The NTA said in a statement: “Cycling on the commute doubled as a result of the challenge. Almost a quarter of participants were new to the bike – which makes the trips cycled even more impressive, at 140 average trips per team. The unprecedented good weather likely had a positive impact on the large number of trips clocked up by participants.”

The event was run by the NTA and Travelwise Northern Ireland, as part of the Smarter Travel Workplaces programme. The programme is funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and is restricted to large employers over 250 employees.

Smarter Travel Workplaces participating workplaces:
Accenture, Airtricity, An Bord Pleanála, AOL, Arup, Atkins, Bord Gáis Networks, Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street, Cork City Council, Defence Forces Naval Service, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Dublin City Council, Dunlaoghaire Rathdown County Council, Eirgrid, ESB, Galway City Council, GlaxoSmithKline, IKEA, Institute of Art Design & Technology, Limerick Local Authorities, Microsoft, Mount Carmel Hospital, National Transport Authority, National University of Ireland Galway, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Oracle, Railway Procurement Agency, Roughan & O’Donovan, Siemens, St. James’ Hospital, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Symantec, Takeda, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College Dublin, University Hospital Galway and Waterford County Council.

Travelwise Northern Ireland Participating Workplaces:
Department of Justice, Seagate Technology, NI Assembly, DOE/N I Environment Agency, Royal Group of Hospitals, Department for Regional Development-Clarence Court, Queens University Belfast, Atkins Northern Ireland, Newtownabbey Borough Council, Probation Board NI, Bombardier Aerospace, Parker Green International/Quays Shopping Centre, University of Ulster Jordanstown, University of Ulster Coleraine, Belfast City Council, Musgrave Park Hospital & Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

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