Mallon delivers E-Bikes for Rathlin Island

Date published: 24 March 2022

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has confirmed that 20 E-bikes will soon be delivered to the Rathlin Development and Community Association (RDCA).

The Minister had previously announced that Rathlin Island was to get Northern Ireland’s first community e-transport scheme funded through her Blue/Green Infrastructure Fund. 

Minister Mallon recently handed over the keys to a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle for community use to RDCA and this will now be complemented with the delivery of 20 E-bikes which will initially be available to islanders and visitors working on the island; and potentially then to visitors to the island during the tourist season.

Minister presented the first of the bikes to Michael Cecil, Chair of the Rathlin Development and Community Association today.

Minister Mallon said:  

“I visited Rathlin last year to announce the e-transport scheme and I am delighted the scheme is now being delivered in time for the summer season.

“E- bikes are a fantastic green and clean method of  travel and last year I took the important steps to make them more accessible by introducing legislation to allow their use on public roads without the need for registration or licensing.“

Continuing the Minister said: 

“I am committed to delivering active and sustainable travel options for all citizens and we all must think about how we travel.

“Rathlin is a special place and has the ambition to be a carbon neutral island and this scheme will go some way to help them achieve this.  

“I now look forward to seeing the bikes being put to good use by islanders and visitors to the island.”

Michael Cecil, Chair of the Rathlin Development and Community Association said:  

“Delivery of 20 high quality and durable E-bikes to the community of Rathlin is an important and very welcome step on our journey through carbon reduction. This scheme has the added benefits of encouraging the uptake of active travel, savings in fuel costs associated with traditional travel and further protecting the environment through emissions reduction.

“Conversations within the community give us the sense that demand for emission free travel will be high and as such we are creating a model that allows for expansion going forward. We see the provision of E-bikes and an E-car as a catalyst to encourage further private uptake, in fact we are already seeing that evidence with more and more carbon free solutions being installed on the Island.

“Rathlin would like to express its gratitude to Minister Mallon, her department and officials for their close and productive working relationship with the community throughout the years and look forward to further partnership working as we continue to positively develop the Island in line with the communities ambitions.”

Notes to editors: 

  1. Photo caption: Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon delivers the first of 20 E-bikes to Michael Cecil, Chair of the Rathlin Development and Community Association. Also pictured is Philip McCallen who is supplying the E-bikes which will be made available for use by locals and those working on the island.
  2. DfI has lead responsibility on behalf of the Executive for the implementation and monitoring of the Rathlin Island Policy and Action Plan. The Policy recognises that as N.Ireland’s only offshore inhabited island, Rathlin is unique and that the challenges faced on the island need to be addressed in a different way.
  3. Last year the Minister announced a £20 million blue/green infrastructure fund which includes funding for community led projects to promote active travel.  
  4. The E-bikes are being supplied by Philip McCallen E-bikes
  5. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office at:press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
  6. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
  7. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure.

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