‘Hike it, Bike It, Like it’ is an award winning smarter travel project which was developed in 2012 in Drimnagh, a suburb in Dublin City with a population of over 12,000 people.  The project engaged the local community to actively consider and change how they travel - advocating sustainable modes of transport.  It promoted local living, encouraging public realm improvements and changes around sustainable living to make it easier and safer to get around Drimnagh. 

The project arose following an extensive community consultation process, led by Dublin City Council (DCC) and assisted by M.CO lab.  This consultation highlighted a perceived lack of place and identity for Drimnagh residents.  This led to the development of a collaborative framework and action plan to shape Drimnagh’s future – the Integrated Area Plan (IAP).  A key focus that emerged from the IAP was the need to encourage people to travel more sustainably through infrastructural, environmental and behavioural changes. 

Recognising children as the drivers of change, school-children were posed the challenge of developing a slogan for a community campaign to encourage and facilitate cycling and walking. The winner being ‘Hike it, Bike it, Like it’.  

Successful community engagement was key to delivering the ‘Hike it, Bike it, Like it’ message.  The initiative reflected a common purpose shared by the local authority, community stakeholders, private sector plus major employers in the area such as the Children’s Hospital, the cluster of schools, and the large residential population. Overall the engagement strategy took a participatory approach, supporting and facilitating a locally-driven awareness raising campaign to change behaviour and encourage local ownership.

Key successes of the project include:

• Doubling in numbers of children walking to school in a number of local primary schools;

• Significant increase in children cycling to school;

• 50% reduction in pupils getting a lift to school;

• Establishment of two new sign-posted walking routes (a 1.2km route in Lansdowne Valley Park and a 2km route along the Grand Canal);

• Better signage and improved public lighting between Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin and the Drimnagh Luas (tram) stop;

• New bicycle parking facilities at key locations.

The project was recognised nationally with the two 2013 awards and internationally with the Energy Globe award.

Hike it, Bike it, Like it demonstrates how much can be achieved when Dublin City Council and local communities collaborate and work in partnership towards agreed goals. It also demonstrates the positive change that can be brought when there is real commitment and investment of time, energy and creativity. Following the success of the Drimnagh project, Dublin City Council launched the citywide brand Hike It, Bike It, Like It, Dublin! Dublin City Council Chief Executive, Owen Keegan said “Dublin City Council is committed to working in partnership with communities across the city… to investing resources in this new way of engaging, communicating and promoting active travel”.

For more information on the Velo-city Programme, Exhibition and Registration go to: https://www.velo-city2019.com ​​​​​​​

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