South Dublin’s Mayor, Cllr Baby Pereppadan, was presented with his official bicycle by the Dublin Cycling Campaign on Friday 20 September 2024 at County Hall in Tallaght.

The Mayor’s bicycle was handed over by Dublin Cycling Campaign volunteers Mairéad Forsythe, Siobhán McNamara, Cllr Ciarán Ahern, and Kevin Hamilton. The Mayor’s bicycle was funded by Dublin Cycling Campaign and its supporters and was provided at a discounted price by the Cycle Superstore in Tallaght. The bicycle is a fold-up Brompton, which can be folded up quickly and neatly for carrying on public transport, in taxis etc. and is easily carried indoors for improved security. It was first presented to Mayor Emma Murphy in 2022 and was then passed on to her successor, Mayor Alan Edge.

The official bicycle provides the Mayor with a sustainable mode of transport that is efficient, healthy and emissions-free. As we face up to the climate crisis the bicycle is a visible manifestation of a new era where officials in authority lead by example in efforts to tackle climate change. The fold-up bicycle is particularly suited to South Dublin where distances that could be challenging on a bicycle can be done in a multi-modal fashion using a combination of public transport and cycling.

Mayor Baby Pereppadan said: ‘I’m delighted to accept this bicycle from the Dublin Cycling Campaign Group and I look forward to meeting the people of Tallaght and other places in the County as I put it to good use. It will certainly be handy on my regular trips around the County and for travelling on the Luas. I intend inviting all Councillors to take the Mayor’s Bicycle out into their communities for charity events and to promote cycling in the County.’

Siobhán McNamara, Vice-Chair of Dublin Cycling Campaign, said: ‘We’re delighted to pass this bicycle on to its third owner. Cycling is a cheap, efficient and reliable way of getting around and, as well as being good for physical and mental health, it is a very important part of the battle against climate change. We appreciate the leadership of Councillors like Mayor Pereppadan who are happy to travel by bicycle, and the work being done by South Dublin County Council and its Cycle South Dublin Programme to make cycling safer and more attractive for people of all ages and abilities.’