Dublin’s Lord Mayor Hazel Chu was presented with her new official bicycle by Dublin Cycling Campaign at a special handover ceremony at the Mansion House on Friday morning.

The first Lord Mayor’s bicycle was presented in 2018 and it has now become an annual tradition. The Lord Mayor’s bicycle is funded by Dublin Cycling Campaign and its supporters and was supplied this year by Rothar bike shop in Phibsborough. The bicycle is an Achielle ‘Alice’ with a turquoise frame and a rattan basket. It has also been fitted with a bracket for attaching a child’s carrier seat.

The official bicycle provides the Lord Mayor with a sustainable mode of transport that is efficient, healthy and emissions-free. As Dublin faces up to the climate crisis the official bicycle offers the ideal transport solution to Dublin’s First Citizen. The bicycle is a visible manifestation of a new era where officials in authority lead by example in efforts to tackle climate change.

Cycling has provided a lifeline to Dublin during the current public health crisis. The pandemic has seen thousands of Dubliners take to their bikes, with cycling offering people a means of getting around the city quickly and conveniently, while also freeing up vital space on public transport for essential workers.

Lord Mayor Chu will get an early opportunity to enjoy her new set of wheels during Bike Week 2020, which runs from the 19th-27th September. Bike Week is a celebration and promotion of all that’s great about cycling, with bike themed events organised by local authorities, community groups and cycling groups throughout Ireland.

Lord Mayor Hazel Chu said: “I’m delighted to accept this bicycle from the Dublin Cycling Campaign Group on behalf of the Mansion House and I look forward to meeting Dubliners across the city as I put it to good use. It will certainly be handy on my regular trips around the city. I also intend inviting all City Councillors to take the Lord Mayor’s Bicycle out into their communities for charity events and to promote cycling in the city.”

Kevin Baker, Chairperson of Dublin Cycling Campaign, said: “We’re delighted to present the Lord Mayor with her new bicycle. Cycling has become so important for so many people during this pandemic and we appreciate the leadership of councillors like Hazel Chu, and the work being done by Dublin City Council, to make cycling safer and more attractive for people of all ages and abilities.”

Brendan O’Brien, Head of Technical Services, Environment & Transportation at Dublin City Council, said: “Dublin City Council are delighted to see the Lord Mayor accept this bicycle. The use of this official bicycle by the Lord Mayor reflects the transport priorities of the City Council, which encourage people to switch to sustainable transport modes.”