Our 2015 travel questionnaire has just gone live at the following link – https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YC2RNSQ.   Please take a couple of minutes to give us your feedback.

Remember Mix Your Mode week kicks off on Monday 23rd March so why not try a different mode for your commute to work, school or leisure travel.

Mix Your Mode travel initative takes place from 23rd -28th March 2015

What It Is

This is an initiative by the Transport and Mobility Forum to promote more sustainable modes of transport by encouraging people to mix their mode of travel. Spring is a good time with brighter mornings and evenings to consider leaving the car behind and trying other options of getting around. Transport in the city has been enhanced with the new and very popular Bike Scheme as well as the introduction of LEAP cards in 2014. Options such as the bus, train, cycling, walking and electric Go Cars in the city are viable alternatives for many. It is hoped that through positive experiences in trying a new mode of travel people would continue changed behaviour patterns in how they get to and from school, work, the shops, a football match or the gym etc.

Events include:

• Lauch of Mix Your Mode Journey Planner
• Schools events
• Workplace travel – switch modes
• Information stands

For the first time in Cork, the Transport and Mobility Forum are organising PARK(ing) DAY. This worldwide event will take place on Friday 19^th September, when a number of car parking spaces will get an alternative use for the day: pop-up parks, art installations, seating or play area, bicycle parking or any other use one can imagine, other than a one and a half tonne car. Many community groups, NGOs, artists, garden centres have gotten involved along with the HSE, Cork County and City Councils to transform the cityscape for the day. The parking spots will be transformed between 10am and 4pm. Cork City and County Councils are kindly providing the car spaces for that day.

On the Western Road you’ll find a relaxing seating area created by the HSE outside their Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Why not explore the 3 spaces along the South Mall where artists from the Crawford Art College are creating a ‘pop-up’ art gallery and Cork Cycling Campaign have a double space with bike parking and a chill-out space as well as a doing a bike maintenance workshop at lunchtime. Cork Community Artlink have kindly donated some fantastic props for the spaces. If you happen to be in the Douglas area, An Taisce Green-Schools with the kind support of the Pavilon Garden Centre are transforming two spaces side-by-side into an interactive play space for children to learn about the benefits of walking, cycling and electric vehicles through demos and activities. Also the Art Department of Cork County Council have created an interactive art space for all to enjoy.

PARK(ing) DAY is being organised by the Cork Transport and Mobility Forum which consists of representatives from various Cork-based transport stakeholders including local authorities, public transport agencies, NGO’s and other stakeholders. One of the roles of the forum is to promote and support more sustainable forms of travel such as walking, cycling, public transport, park and ride/stride and carpooling. The PARK(ing) DAY event is being organised as part of European Mobility Week (16th-22nd Sept), and fits well with the Week’s this year’s motto: “Our Street – Our Choice”. Activities in cities all over Europe will raise awareness for more liveable street spaces for people and improvement of the public realm. Hence another Cork event in the Week will be the annual Rebel Pedal family bicycle parade on Sunday, 21st Sept, starting at 12noon from Grand Parade (registration from 11am), organised by Cork Environmental Forum.

www.transportandmobilityforum.com,

An Taisce Green-Schools Travel Officer Sandy McGroarty on 086 1067588 / smcgroarty@eeu.antaisce.org with any questions.

parkingdaycork2014poster

Transport & Mobility Forum, Cork invites you to participate in…

PARK(ing) Day CORK 2014

Deadline for proposals extended to Friday 29th August 2014

What is it?

PARK(ing) Day is an annual worldwide event where artists, designers, community groups and citizens transform metered parking spots into temporary public parks. For the first time Cork will take part in PARK(ing) Day on Friday 19^th September 2014.

Why?

Car parking spaces take up lots of room in the city’s street scape, in both city centre and suburban streets. Often this goes along with the absence of urban “green”, vegetation of any kind (trees, shrubs, flower pots etc.), making streets appear to consist mostly of tarmac, concrete and brick, designed primarily for serving flowing motor traffic or parked cars.

It is Cork City & County Council’s policy to better promote active travel modes of cycling and walking, manifested in the City Centre Movement Strategy (CCMS) or the Cork Walking Strategy. A mode shift away from private cars to more cycling and walking would contribute to:

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality;
• Promote public health through more physical activity and;
• Local businesses would benefit from more footfall (on two feet or two wheels) on city streets, also outside the immediate City Centre.

Better use of urban space

The appearance of streets as places to walk, stroll or just ‘hang out’ can be improved by alternative uses of the areas that now serve as car parking spaces. The street can become a “place” when there is a tree, a bit of green, like shrubs, flowers, a bench etc. Walking could be facilitated through a more inviting “look” for pedestrians; cyclists might avail of some extra bike stands in these places. Public life of all sorts would be encouraged if the street would be a more inviting place for people to be in, other than being a transient person behind the windscreen of a car, or just rushing through as quickly as possible on foot.

Facilitate public life / improve public realm

The competition entails the design of a temporary installation to showcase options of improving the public realm, with the long term goal of eventually converting a number of car spaces and other identified unused street space in selected locations on a permanent basis.

Who can take part?

Open to all individuals and groups, but might be of particular interest to the following:

• Garden Designers and Centres
• Architects/Landscape Architects
• Urban Designers
• Community Groups
• Bike Shops
• Artists
• Sustainable Travel Organisations
• Budding Designers!

We welcome individuals and group collaborations.

The criteria for your design must contain at least 2 of the following:

• Promote sustainable transport
• Use environmentally friendly materials
• Interactive to the public (seating, workshops, activities)
• Artistic Installation
• Bike parking (limited mobile bike parking available)

Please refer to the guidlelines and licence. The essential idea of parking day is to use the space in an alternative way in which it is normally used i.e. excludes cars. Advertising in a limited way is allowed naming the group/company is acceptable e.g. space organised by community xyz, supported by Bord Gais Energy. References to any specific products, offers, discounts are not allowed.

Evaluation

Proposals will be evaluated by the T&MF on innovation, creative use of space, green aspect etc.

How will you benefit?

The winning group/individual, as decided by the TMF committee, will be awarded the opportunity to turn their design into a reality.The winners will receive media promotion and a parking space for the day to transform. A public vote will decide on the winning design which will go forward to create a permanent park space should funding become available. Winners will be notified by the end of the 1^st week of September 2014.

How to enter?

Please submit a one A4 page outline which should include a sketch/drawing of your design to parkingdaycork@corkcoco.ie by Friday 29th August 2014. Please include your contact details.

Cork Celebrates National Bike Week 2014

Cork celebrates National Bike Week 2014 from the 14^th -22^nd June. There are an array of cycles and fun activities lined up for the week throughout the City and County. Annual events such as the Family Fun Cycle from Passage West to Blackrock Castle takes place this Sunday 15^th June, with fun activities and refreshments at the Castle as well as free entry to Cosmos. The Mystery Rickshaw Tour, Lunchtime Cycle and Mid-Summer Cycle Hunt feature again whilst Tour de Romance on Friday is new to the calendar. Wednesday is National Cycle to School Day with many schools participating. Lots of cycles and activities taking place throughout the County – more information on all the events can be found at www.corkbikeweek.ie. Dust down your bike and join in some of these great events

Check out also how the intrepid participants of Operation Transportation are getting on with being back on the saddle ever day at www.facebook.com/operationtransportation

Wonderful video which shows the flavour of all the events during Mix Your Mode Week, supported by SWRA and the BATTERIE Project.

Special thanks to the following for their support during Mix Your Mode, March 24^th – 30^th:

Supporters:

• City View Wheels – Kalkoff Electric Bike (Tuesday, UCC; Wed. , Challenge & Cobh; Friday, Town)
•  ESB Wilton – electric van for Cobh event
•  Bord Gais – combined Natural Gas van (Friday)
• Cork City Council – provided an electric van and bike on Friday
• Leisureworld – health checks on Thursday at Mahon Point
• The Bike Shed – Bike Dr at UCC
• Amity and Salingers – provided clothes for Chic Travel parade on Friday
• Albert McCarthy, William Harris, Michael O’Donovan, Marie-Terese Conere, Mary Cotter and Aodhan Quinlan – challengers for City to Cobh Challenge
• Models – Jennifer Musceidt, CEF member, Sandy McGroarty, An Taisce Green Schools Officer and Alex who modelled for Chic Travel parade
• Martin O’Donoghue, Cork Opera House and Denis Barrett, Education and Training Board who rowed to work
• Leslie – Cobh Land Train
• Cobh Tidy Towns – supported Mix Your Mode Cobh Day

Sponsors of tickets and prizes:

• Bus Eireann
• Irish Rail
• Cork City Council
• Fota Wildlife Park
• Leisureworld
• Salingers
• Cross River Ferry Service
• Gills Fish and Chip Shop
• Cobh UCD

Special thanks to our media partner, RED FM; photographer, Darragh Kane; and Sonic Surgery’s Gordon and Seamus.

And finally, let’s not forget all the volunteers who helped out with the information stand and events throughout the week.

Mix Your Mode is a public awareness campaign encouraging the use of alternative and sustainable modes of transport. The campaign being run in conjunction with the South West Regional Authority’s EU Atlantic Area funded BATTERIE project, is an initiative of the Transport and Mobility Forum that will take place across Cork City and county from March 24^th to 30^th.

Weeklong:

Art Exhibition in Kent Station, Cork – 7 schools from Cobh exhibit art work exploring different sustainable modes of transport.

Monday 24th – Schools Focus:

An Taisce’s Green-Schools initiative will visit Green-Schools in Bishopstown as they carry out WOW days (walk on weekdays) where students, parents and teachers are encouraged to not only walk to school but also, cycle, Park ‘n’ Stride, use public transport or carpool instead of using the private car on the school run.

8am – 9am: 

Bishopstown Schools – Scoil an Spoiraid Naomh, St Catherine’s, Mount Mercy will have a Walk on Weekday (WOW).

11am -2pm: 

Students from Bishopstown schools will travel on the Red FM bus into town to highlight their local bus route and learn about the benefits of using public transport.

For more information contact: Sandy McGroarty, Green-Schools Travel Officer, (087) 7390631, smcgroarty@eeu.antaisce.org

Tuesday 25th – College Focus (UCC):

11am – 3pm:

Mix Your Mode in UCC (Honan Square) with information stands, presentations, display of electric bikes from City View Wheels and a visit from the Bike Doctor.

At 1pm, a lunchtime cycle will take cyclists from UCC via Lee Fields and Curraheen River Greenway to CUH, and back to UCC.

For more information contact: Stephan Koch, Commuter Plan Manager, UCC, (021) 490 3945 (alt: 3635), s.koch@ucc.ie

Wednesday 24th – Cobh Focus:

8am – 9am: 

Cobh Mix Your Mode – All island Cobh WOW (Walk on Wednesday) with all pupils and even some principals and teachers from all 7 schools in Cobh planning to walk and cycle to school.

For more information contact: Sandy McGroarty, Green-Schools Travel Officer, (087) 7390631, smcgroarty@eeu.antaisce.org

9am – 10am:

All schools tally their numbers of children travelling to school for each mode to decide which school wins the prize for highest percentage of children travelling to school in a sustainable way. At 12pm, a prize will be awarded to the school with the highest number of participants who travel to school in a sustainable mode.

10am:

Cork City to Cobh Challenge – 2 Challengers to take different modes to Cobh travelling by bus/train and bike/ferry.

For more information contact: Bernie Connolly, Cork Environmental Forum, (083) 1468064, bernadette@cef.ie

10am – 1pm:

The Square, Cobh – Information Stand and finish point for ‘Mix Your Mode’ challenge.

Thursday 25th – Workplace Focus:

10am – 2pm:

Mix Your Mode at Mahon Point Shopping Centre with fun and informative events including health screening height, weight, BMI to encourage workers (and shoppers) to consider alternative and sustainable modes of transport.

For more information contact: Shirley O’Shea,Senior Health Promotion Officer, Health Promotion Dept, HSE South, (087) 6670857, shirley.oshea@hse.ie

Friday 26th – Shopping Focus:

10am – 2pm: 

Information stand outside Brown Thomas to share ideas on sustainable transport options for shoppers

12.30pm – 1.30pm:

Fashion parade outside Brown Thomas to promote ‘chic travel’ featuring featuring  bikes, scooters, ecar etc.

For more information contact: Bernie Connolly, Cork Environmental Forum, (083) 1468064, bernadette@cef.ie