Edinburgh Council become Cycle Friendly Employer

06/11/2008

Waverley Court has picked up a Cycle Friendly Employer Award from Cycling Scotland in recognition of their promotion of cycling to work. The award will be presented at 10:30am on Thursday 6 November at Waverley Court, East Market Street.

The council headquarters offers excellent facilities, including secure bike racks, lockers and showers for those who cycle to and from the office.

Cllr Phil Wheeler, spokesperson for transport, said:
“I am delighted to be accepting this award from Cycling Scotland. The council is always keen to promote green forms of transport including cycling, walking, car sharing and public transport. Cycling is an integral part of the transport mix in the city and in Edinburgh we have an outstanding network of on and off street cycle lanes.”

Erl Wilkie, Chief Executive of Cycling Scotland commented: “Local Authorities are the key delivery agencies for cycling in Scotland, so it’s fantastic to see Edinburgh leading by example.  The benefits of cycling to work are huge, both in terms of health and the impact on the environment, but you do need the facilities and encouragement that the council is providing to make it an easy and practical option for people.”

The Council is involved in various schemes to help promote cycling in the city. These include the promotion of cycle routes through 7 area based maps and the installation of cycle friendly crossings. The Council is also working with cycling charity Sustrans to re-open the Rodney Street tunnel by Spring 2008. This will allow cyclists to avoid a busy road junction using a dedicated off-road path. On top of this, there are also ongoing projects with schools to promote cycling and identify safe cycling routes for school children and staff.

Read about the award on the Edinburgh Evening News website by clicking here.