Our City Is Changing

CLARE MCCUTCHEON outlines how her community

FRANK FITZGERALD

discusses internal actions in Cork City Council and how infrastructural change is making walking and cycling easier and safer.

sustainability journey transformed her home life too.

An active member of ‘Faith in Action’ at Ballineaspaig Parish, Dennehy’s Cross, Clare’s community group picked up an Eco-Congregation Ireland Gold award last year after years of raising environmental awareness, fundraising for the developing world, promotion of Fairtrade, establishment of a wildflower garden and promoting composting and recycling initiatives. Clare openly admits that as her interest in community climate action grew, she started making changes at home so she could ‘walk the walk and talk the talk’. She and her husband initially upgraded their Bishopstown home with the installation of thermostatic radiator valves, then an upgraded boiler and the introduction of heating zones. Attic and wall insulation upgrades were next on their wish list. In January 2023, with the help of another Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant, they installed solar panels, bringing their house up to a B1 BER rating, above the target threshold for the SEAI. “Since the completion of the solar panel installation, we have seen a drastic reduction in our electricity bills, despite changing to a fully electric car in May 2023. So much so that between the energy credits and microgeneration of the panels themselves, our total electricity cost for the past year came to only €122!”.

As the Sustainable Travel and Road Safety Officer in Cork City Council, Frank Fitzgerald has witnessed first-hand the changes in attitudes to transport, both within the local authority and from the city’s residents. “In the past five years we have seen a major change in the Cork landscape, with the pedestrianisation of streets, more cycling infrastructure, and greater investment in public transport. This has led to more people walking and cycling but also an increase in the numbers using public transport”. Internally, Cork City Council is facilitating change through initiatives like an electric bike share scheme for staff to travel to meetings and outside appointments. The scheme has been well received by staff. As Frank highlights, internal actions are only a minor strand in the promotion of active travel. “The Cycle Right programme is providing subsidised cycle training to schools in Cork. Bike Week is an annual event with over 100 activities taking place last year. Active travel is not limited to cycling and we have promoted walking through our Walking Week Festival, exhibiting the walkability of our city centre. In 2023, we had our first Car Free Day in the city centre, not only promoting active travel but resulting in significant air quality improvement”. Facilitating change and adaptation amongst the public and business community is something Frank and Cork City Council are focusing on. “Improvements in infrastructure coupled with improvements in technology, such as electric and cargo bicycles, mean cycling in the city has never been more accessible”.