Supporting the decarbonisation of transport in Sandyford Business District

Ireland’s largest business improvement district, Sandyford Business District (SBD) and Trinity College Dublin have today announced a collaboration which will see both parties launch an innovative mobility hub project in the district. The goal of the project is to encourage and increase shared modes of transportation to help to boost decarbonisation efforts.

Known as the TRACT (TRAnsport Behaviour Change Trials) Project, the initiative is being spearheaded by Trinity College Dublin’s Department of Civil Structural & Environmental Engineering, and it is funded by the Department of Transport and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

The decarbonisation of transport

Sandyford Business District has been selected as the strategic location of the hub for a 12-month trial period. During this time, a TRACT Mobility Hub app will be launched, before the Summer, which will provide multiple travel options on one platform, disseminate information about shared transport modes, and encourage a modal shift from personal vehicles to shared transport options.

Coinciding with today’s announcement is the launch of a mobility survey which is designed to garner feedback and insights on the travel characteristics, behaviours and the potential barriers to the adoption of sustainable transport options in Sandyford. This marks the first of five surveys to be distributed, aimed at tracking behavioural changes.

By encouraging a shift away from private modes of transportation, in favour of shared modes of urban mobility, this project represents an important step forward towards achieving a greener, more sustainable transport sector in Ireland, as set out in the Government’s Climate Action Plan.

CEO of Sandyford Business District Ger Corbett said: “The selection of Sandyford Business District as the first strategic location for the TRACT mobility hub project is an acknowledgment of the organisation’s commitment to embracing solution-driven initiatives.

Every day 26,000 people commute to work in the district, so we are not only striving to transform how people move around Sandyford, but we are also hopeful that we can help to encourage people to drive away from personal vehicle usage, and instead embrace the shared transport options available.

If we all make a discernible effort, this will have a positive impact on our decarbonisation goals, while setting a benchmark for cleaner, greener urban mobility nationwide.”

Professor Brian Caulfield of Trinity College Dublin said: “The research team is very excited to be working with Sandyford Business District on this sustainable mobility pilot project.

The application that we aim to launch later in the year will for the first time encompass public transport and shared mobility options for those living and working in the Sandyford area. The research team will examine the results from this pilot to determine how providing such information may ultimately reduce carbon emissions.”

About Sandyford Business District:

Sandyford Business District (SBID) is home to Mastercard, Microsoft, Vodafone, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Facebook, Google, BNP Paribas and AIB among a host of other companies.

The Business Improvement District company, Sandyford BID CLG trading as Sandyford Business District, was established in January 2017 to represent the entire business community in the Sandyford Business District. It provides support for existing businesses within SBID and those looking to relocate and invest in the area. It has achieved considerable progress since its inception.

The business clusters in the Sandyford Business District include 118 Information and Communication companies; 99 MedTech companies; 63 Fintech companies; 8 Energytech companies; 27 Autotech companies; 17 Education and Childcare facilities; 49 Hospitality companies; and 117 Retail and Leisure companies.

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