As part of the goal to make energy use in the City Council more sustainable, the Council has introduced bicycles as part of its vehicle fleet.
The bicycles are kept handy in the covered stands already available to Council employees for their private cycles. Staff book pool bikes in the same way that a fleet car is booked.
When journeys are short and the car engine is cold, petrol consumption and carbon dioxide release is higher. As many of the cars in the council fleet are used for short journeys, fleet management hopes that the introduction of bikes will encourage staff to hop on a bike instead of taking a car to meetings in close proximity to the office.
This graph shows the carbon emissions from four sources. Petrol accounts for the highest level of carbon dioxide release. If a bike is used for 10 kilometres of travel, it will be a saving of two kilograms of carbon dioxide.
Car vs cycle challenges undertaken during bike week show it is possible to arrive at the planned destination faster by cycle than by car, especially in rush hour traffic. Parking is also easier.
The benefits of the project
The benefits of the project include:
- A reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.
- An increase in awareness of sustainable actions in the 1000 staff at the Civic Offices, and thus in the wider community.
- An increase in health and well-being in Council staff.
- A reduction in the number of cars required by the City Council.
Could this idea help my business or my home?
- Could I hop on a bike for short journeys to the shops?
- Could my children use a bicycle to get to and from school, rather than using the car?
- Are there meetings that could be attended by using a bicycle rather than a car?
