DLR Cathaoirleach Cllr Jim Gildea was presented with his official bicycle by the Dublin Cycling Campaign on Saturday November 15th in Dun Laoghaire.

The bicycle was handed over by Dublin Cycling Campaign volunteer Daniel Walsh, The Bike Hub CEO Stephen McManus and Cycling Without Age Ireland founder Clara Clark. The upcycled bike was funded by Campaign members and purchased from Frontline Bikes, a social enterprise bike shop and training centre. Frontline Bikes provides people with a background of addiction, long-term unemployment, or a criminal record with a pathway to recovery and employment, through their training programme in bike mechanics, using donated bikes.

Our volunteers were glad to meet the new Cathaoirleach along the Coastal Mobility Route in Dun Laoghaire. We chose the location as TU Dublin studies have shown it to be the most popular cycleway within the County Council area and one of the most successful in the Dublin region. We passed on our thanks to the council for all the infrastructure that has been developed in the county in recent years to make active mobility more accessible to more people.

The official bicycle provides the Cathaoirleach The official bicycle provides the Cathaoirleach with a sustainable mode of transport that is efficient, healthy and emissions-free. As we face up to the climate crisis the bicycle is a visible manifestation of a new era where officials in authority lead by example in efforts to tackle climate change. The step-through bicycle has been used by both men and women and will continue to be used by both the Cathaoirleach and his colleagues in County Hall. Cathaoirleach Gildea said: ‘I want to thank the Dublin Cycling Campaign for their very generous gift of a bike which can be used by any Officials or Councillors travelling from County Hall.

If more of us are willing to use a bicycle rather than our car, say for journeys of less than 1km, it will have a noticeable positive impact on local traffic congestion.’ Daniel Walsh from DLR Cycling said: ‘We’re delighted to present the Cathaoirleach with this bicycle. As well as being good for physical and mental health, cycling is a cheap, efficient and reliable way of getting around and is an important part of the battle against climate change. We appreciate the work of the council to make cycling safer and more attractive for people of all ages and abilities.’

Cathaoirleach Gildea also had the opportunity to chat to Cycling Without Age founder Clara Clark and promised to avail of her groups services during his time as Cathaoirleach. The trishaws are all piloted by volunteers and give people with mobility impairments the chance to experience the joy of cycling.