University of Limerick has been awarded a gold award for smarter travel by the National Transport Authority, the first university in Ireland to receive the accreditation.
UL President Professor Kerstin Mey was presented with a plaque for the Smarter Travel Mark at Gold level from Siobhan Hamilton, Smarter Travel Programme Manager at the National Transport Authority (NTA) at Plassey House this Monday.
The Smarter Travel Mark is recognition of UL’s commitment to changing attitudes and behaviours regarding walking, cycling, public transport usage and carpooling by implementing measures that facilitate, support and encourage sustainable travel options for staff, students and visitors.
Professor Mey said: “This is wonderful news and achieving the Smarter Travel Mark demonstrates that University of Limerick prioritises the importance and value of sustainable travel initiatives and the associated environmental benefits.
“We look forward to implementing further Smarter Travel initiatives to support staff, students and visitors in choosing environmentally friendly transport options.”
Anne Graham, CEO of the NTA, said the Smarter Travel Mark recognises UL as “an organisation that prioritises the importance and value of sustainable travel initiatives and the associated environmental benefits”.
The award is a three-tier certification coordinated by the NTA that recognises and celebrates organisations that support sustainable travel on the commute and beyond for their workforce and visitors, resulting in a reduction in single-person car usage.
It is a relatively new national accreditation process that was launched earlier in the year by Minister Eamon Ryan.
The Smarter Travel team in the Buildings and Estates department at UL have been working towards the rigorous NTA Smarter Travel Mark accreditation application for some time.
From e-scooter and electric bike pilot schemes to partnering with Limerick City and County Council to roll out a Dockless Bike Scheme linking the campus to Castletroy and the city centre, the team at UL have sought to make a difference by prioritising sustainable travel in a variety of ways.
UL launched its Climate Action Roadmap in May, which charts a list of ambitious actions and projects to guide progress towards becoming carbon neutral in 2030 and includes plans to increase active transport options available on campus.
