by Alan Jacques
STUDENTS at Limerick Institute of Technology have finished second in a national competition recognising third level campuses that go the extra mile to promote sustainable travel.
Limerick Smarter Travel hosted the National Transport Authority’s Student Cycling Challenge, which saw students take to their bikes to clock up as many cycle trips as possible over 10 days.
Pat O’Neill of Limerick Smarter Travel said the initiative encouraged students to consider using their bikes when travelling to and from college as well as during their day-to-day lives.
“Limerick Smarter Travel is continually looking at new and innovative ways of encouraging commuters and residents of Limerick City to consider alternative methods of transport,” said Mr O’Neill.
However, there was further success for Limerick entries with Ciara Meikle from University of Limerick winning the Best New Cyclist Story Category. Ciara, referring to herself as “a born-again cyclist”, wrote about how the Student Cycling Challenge helped her to rediscover her love for cycling.
UL also won Best Campus Award for the highest weighting of trips across all students participating from their campus. Meanwhile, Limerick Smarter Travel coordinators, Ross Higgins and Sean Collins won the Best Campus Implementation Team Award in recognition of their promotional work and efforts to motivate UL students to get involved in the Challenge.
