Promoting alternatives to the private car

Summary

With CIVITAS MIRACLES support, parking spaces were installed for up to 226 bicycles and a cycling safety training programme was introduced for primary schools. Mobility management measures were also introduced and sustainable mobility events were held to encourage changes in commuting behaviour.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Traffic congestion was endemic in Cork city centre and along the main roads. The many narrow streets are inappropriate for the increasing volumes of traffic. In response to this situation, plans were drawn up to promote public transportation and cleaner vehicles, and to encourage commuters to find alternatives to daily car usage.  Facilities were therefore introduced to prioritise public transport and to make the city safer for cyclists and pedestrians. The measure also comprised awareness-raising campaigns in schools and council offices.

Progress

Initially, surveys were carried out among commuters to assess commuting patterns and to encourage respondents to consider alternatives.

Cork City Council also carried out a city-wide cycle parking survey, on the basis of which new bicycle stands were installed following extensive public consultation. Suggestions and submissions were invited from the public via newspaper advertisements. Various types of stands were then specially designed for different areas of the city.

A consulting company was appointed to design a city cycle network and parking facilities plan, which identified various radial and inner-city routes for development.

A travel-to-school study was carried out in 2004 and 2005, providing data to help in the planning of initiatives to reduce car dependency among families with children. As a result, in 2004 a cycle safety training programme was introduced in all primary schools, and in 2005 a “walking bus” initiative was introduced in two city-centre schools.

Within the city council, mobility management was encouraged through the annual travel-to-work surveys, designed to promote sustainable commuting, to investigate and overcome barriers to change, and to inform a car-pooling database.

Other initiatives to promote sustainable travel habits included the production of information leaflets and a publicity video, helping to inform the public about a range of measures to promote sustainable transport in the city, including improvements to pedestrian and cycling infrastracture.

Participation in European Car Free Day and Mobility Week provided an important focus for prompting widespread reconsideration of commuting behaviour. In 2002, the council organised a display of clean cars in the city centre and a public presentation on renewable fuels. In 2003, secondary schools debated the benefits of the CIVITAS Initiative in Cork and different teams argued the case for the sustainability of different mode choices.

Throughout Mobility Week in 2004, a local environment forum, supported by the council, organised a cycle ride through the car-free streets and the park and ride service was offered for free.

Outcomes

A total of 264 cycle parking spaces were provided in the city centre as part of the measure (an increase of over 2,000 percent in the availability of cycle parking in the city centre) by October 2005. This far exceeded the 40 percent increase in city centre cycle parking facilities promised as part of the MIRACLES project. Surveyed cyclists responded that they were very happy with the facilities provided as a result of this measure.

Cork City Council continues to encourage cycling post-MIRACLES, with an emphasis on the provision of a cycle network.

Citizens’ awareness of the need, potential and ability to change to more sustainable transport patterns was raised as a result of this measure.

This fact sheet has been updated by a third party on the basis of available information (not by the city itself), therefore we do not guarantee any data with respect to their content, completeness or up-to-dateness.