[PR] Dublin On The Move

DUBLIN ON THE MOVE

16th September 2006: Dublin City Council is asking you to get active for Mobility Week under the designated theme ;”Climate Change” which runs from 16th to 22nd of September. The aim of Mobility Week is to encourage people to adopt new approaches of getting to and from work, school and other daily activities through car pooling, cycling and walking, for example.

The City Council will be promoting this idea throughout the City during the week, with many novel events taking place ranging from walking and cycling tours to exhibitions and spot prizes awarded to participants for their endeavours. Schools are being encouraged to get students involved in this event with bike racks being installed in a number of schools throughout the City to promote the use of the bike as a valuable means of transport.

In the North Central Area some walkers, cyclists and car poolers with two or more occupants will be rewarded randomly for their efforts by receiving a €50 voucher for various retail outlets. The City Council’s co-sponsers are retailers that promote a healthy lifestyle i.e., City Cycles, Lifestyle Sports, the Great Outdoors and Champion Sports. Winners of the vouchers will then be entered into a draw for three separate prizes of €1,000 each.

Lord Mayor, Councillor Vincent Jackson said “I would urge all commuters to use Mobility week as a trial for altering their travel patterns. We should remember the objective of Mobility Week is to change our approach to commuting and reduce the amount of cars and emissions on our roads giving us all the benefit of a healthier lifestyle”.

ENDS

For Further information please contact: Brian Mc Manus on 086-606-9938 or Dublin City Council Press Office on 222 2170 or 086-815-0010.


Notes:

Whilst Climate change is primarily tackled at National and International level, Dublin City Council, under the banner of “Thinking Globally, Acting Locally” will focus its attention through the five Local Areas who will have the primary role in promoting the aims of Mobility Week. Each Area is putting an emphasis on promoting types of mobility around the City that do not cause Carbon Dioxide (CO2 ) emissions – a gas that contributes to Global Warming.

The following is a list of Events due to take place within each of the five Local Areas during Mobility Week:

South East Area


Saturday 16th
“St. Mary's Graveyard, Donnybrook” Walking Tour by David Neary
St. Mary's Graveyard, Donnybrook @ 3.00pm
Duration: 1hr
Free admission

Saturday 16th
Photo – Challenge
Treasure Hunt in conjunction with Rathmines Community Partnership.
Belgrave Square @ 2pm.
To enter contact Patrick at Tel. 4965558
Free

Monday 18th
“Hidden Treasures & Surprises of Medieval Dublin” Walking Tour by Pat Liddy
Meeting Point: City Hall @ 12.45 pm
Duration: 1hr 30 mins approx
Free admission

“High Visibility Jackets” will be given to cyclists at the Junction between College Green and Foster Place between the hours of 8am-10am.

Tuesday 19th
“A Stroll Along The Dodder” Walking Tour by Pat Liddy.
Meeting Point: Outside Bank of Ireland, corner of Rathfarnham Road and Terenure Place, Terenure @ 6.30 pm
Duration 1hr 30 mins
Free admission

“High Visibility Jackets” will be presented to cyclists at the junction of Pearse Street and Tara Street between the hours of 8am-10am.

Wednesday 20th
“Trinity College And A Cruise Down the Liffey” Walking Tour by Pat Liddy
Meeting Point: Front Arch of Trinity College @ 11am
Duration: 2hr approx
Free admission

“High Visibility Jackets” will be presented to cyclists at Leeson Street Bridge between the hours of 8am-10am.

Thursday 21st
“Sandymount Village and Strand” Walking Tour by Pat Liddy
Meeting Point: Sandymount Dart Station @ 6.30 pm
Duration 1hr 30 mins
Free admission

“High Visibility Jackets” will be presented to cyclists at Winfield Road in Rathmines between the hours of 8am-10am.

In conjunction with the Ranelagh Arts Festival, children’s art work based on the theme of “European Mobility Week” will be on view at various art exhibitions during the festival.

Schools awareness campaign all week promoting sustainable trips to schools by encouraging forms of transport such as walking, cycling, car-pooling and public transport.
- Schools will participate in various ways by having art/poster/poetry/song competitions, drama performances, class debates, undertaking transport surveys, and organising “walking buses” to schools.
- A representative from Dublin City Councils’ Road Safety Department will visit Senior Citizen Complexes in the area, advising residents on road safety measures.

A list of tips for motorists highlighting measures they can take in order to increase fuel efficiency will be listed in the South East Areas Offices Newsletter SEAview, which is distributed to all households in the South East Area


North Central Area

- Promotion of Car Pooling, Cycling and Walking. Duration of the week between the hours of 8am-9.30 am & 5pm-6pm,. Spot prizes will be given out randomly on the following routes:
- Malahide Road, Gracepark Road, Clontarf Road, Howth Road & Swords Road.

- Walkers, cyclists, & car poolers with 2 occupants or more will be rewarded randomly for their efforts by receiving a €50 voucher for various retail outlets. Our co-sponsors are retailers that promote a healthy lifestyle i.e., City Cycles, Lifestyle Sports, the Great Outdoors and Champion Sports. Vouchers will also be given out for Dublin City Council swimming pools for both adults and children, thereby further promoting the “get active” theme. Winners of the vouchers will then be entered into a draw for 3 separate prizes of €1,000 Euros each.

Childrens' Art Competition in the North Central Area. For the winners of the competition, there are 4 prizes of vouchers to purchase bicycles awarded in two categories: Ages 4-7 and Ages 8-12, thus encouraging our young people to get active also.



CENTRAL AREA

- Kids Poster Competition — A poster competition open to all kids 12 years and under based on the theme of mobility. Design a poster with cycling, walking or public transport as its theme and be in with the chance of winning a brand new bike.
The competition is open in each of our three area offices based at 97 New Cabra Road, 53 Dorset St and 51-53 Sean Mac Dermott Street. Each Area Office will have two bikes as prizes for the best entrants. Entry forms/details available at the reception desk in each office.

- Free Travel Packs—Dublin City Council is supporting the use of Public Transport as an alternative to car travel by issuing free travel packs containing DART, and Dublin Bus tickets up the value of €10. These travel packs will be available from the area offices also and will be issued in limited amounts on a daily basis, so get down early to claim your pack.

Packs available on the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd of September in limited numbers from each area office on a first come, first served basis. Only one pack per customer.

- Bike Racks — As part of our programme to support the idea of mobility and alternative forms of transport DCC is installing bike racks in a number of schools to encourage the use of the bike as a means of transport within schools. These schools may also avail of cycle training and free safe cycling equipment.

- Dublin City Council is also providing the area offices with bicycles for staff use to encourage cycling as an alternative means of transport around the city.

South Central Area

- Erect Sli na Slainte signs from Ringsend Basin to Blackhorse Bridge, Inchicore.


- Offer 5 schools in the Dublin South Central bike racks and bike training.


- Historic walk around Crumlin on Sunday 17th September, starting at 3 pm. at the Celtic Cross the junction between St. Mary's Road and Drimnagh Road. This will be led by Finuola Watchorn and titled "Walk into your history"

- Saturday 23rd Dublin City Council in conjunction with Ceantar Mhaighneann Heritage Group are organising a walk around Kilmainham led by Pat Liddy at the Richmond Tower opposite Kilmainham Jail at 10.30 am. The walk is expected to last 2 hours.

- Walk in Kilmainham/ Inchicore to be given by Pat Liddy.

- Funding provided to support the plans to update the local history walks in the Dolphins Barn Area, and produce three leaflets: on the Grand Canal, on 1798 and 1916 revolutionaries connected with the area and on churches, and other religious buildings in the area.

- Upgrade a neglected street garden in a cul de sac off Rialto Street which is locally leased, but it is proposed that local people would get involved and work together to revitalise it.


North West Area

- Dublin City Council North West Area is supporting European Mobility Week by aiming to heighten awareness amongst primary and secondary school students on the necessity for change in relation to mobility and in particular the use of the private car
- Schools and local youth centres have been invited to participate and to promote walking and cycling to school during European Mobility Week. The following incentives are being offered to assist students and staff to use alternative means of transport to get to and from school:
- Participating schools and centres will be supplied with bicycle racks
- A bicycle will be awarded as a prize to participating schools and centres
- Vouchers for reflective jackets and safety
helmets will be allocated to schools and youth centres
- Participants will be offered the opportunity to have their bicycles security engraved
- The Road Safety Unit will visit participating schools and centres, on request, to give advice on safe cycling and walking
- Staff members will undertake school visits during the week to talk to students about European Mobility Week