Calling all employers in Kilkenny! We are proud to announce that Kilkenny City is launching its bid to become Ireland’s first Cycle-Friendly City.
Achieving Cycle-Friendly City status will bring Kilkenny into a network of cities and regions across Europe that are actively working to promote the bicycle as a mode of transport and leisure.
Employers both big and small are invited to take part in the EU-wide Cycle-Friendly Employer programme to improve the cycling experience of employees. Cycling to work has been proven to improve employee well-being, reduce the number of sick days taken across the workforce, and reduce carbon emissions. The Cycle-Friendly Employer programme was first launched in 2017 by the European Cyclists’ Federation and is part of Ireland’s National Sustainable Mobility Policy and Action Plan. The programme provides employers with an actionable, scalable model for cycle-friendliness in the workplace and can be adapted to suit all organisations and employers, from large multinationals to small independent cafes, retailers and tourism providers. The certification process assesses onsite cycling amenities including showers and clothes drying, bike access and storage, and bike servicing facilities, as well as cultural and wellness initiatives such as cycling weeks, onboarding information, and community cycling events and is valid for 3 years.
As a small and pro-cycling city with a strong reputation for business and tourism, Kilkenny is well-placed to become Ireland’s first Cycle-Friendly City. Cycling Solutions Ireland, the only Irish Cycle-Friendly Employer licence-holder, looks forward to working with Kilkenny employers to improve the cycling experience of their employees, and the city as a whole.
‘Cycle and pedestrian friendly cities are vibrant and thriving cities’ said Minister for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan. ‘We have a big collective job to do to reconfigure and reimagine our urban spaces away from private car transport to more active means of getting about. It will require courage and imagination but it will be worth it. Our towns and cities will become welcome spaces for everyone regardless of ability or mobility. It will lead to safer, quieter, and less polluted streets where local economies will flourish and where families will want to live. I very much welcome this first step on our journey.’
‘We are delighted to launch the Cycle-Friendly City initiative here in Kilkenny,’ said Michael O’Boyle, CEO of Cycling Solutions Ireland. ‘The city is well-placed achieve cycle-friendly accreditation and contribute meaningfully towards achieving Ireland’s decarbonisation and sustainable mobility goals. We have received great support from the Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and Minister Noonan and look forward to working closely with employers around the city to bring the benefits of cycling to their employees.’