DONEGAL County Council, Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Trinity College Dublin (TCD), ESB, and Enterprise Car Club recently launched a new sustainable transport initiative at Justice Walsh Road, Letterkenny.

Two shared electric vehicles (EVs), one e-cargo bike and four e-bikes are available to book by the public for an hour or by the day to suit a range of travel needs.

Funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the SEAI Research, Development & Demonstration Funding Programme, the academic lead partner is Trinity College Dublin supported by ATU academics in the Galway and Sligo campuses.

The launch in Letterkenny last week was attended by Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, Cllr Paul Canning, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Ciaran Brogan, Mayor of the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District and Dr Orla Fylnn, ATU President.

The event was also attended by local Oireachtas members, elected members from the Letterkenny Milford Municipal District, members of the ROBUST project team and invited guests.

Letterkenny is one of four eMobility hubs in Ireland opening this year, one each in Waterford and Galway city, and Dundrum, Dublin.

They are part of a wider strategy in Ireland to encourage public use of shared transport, help reduce congestion and parking problems in our cities and towns and meet emission targets.

Shared mobility is increasingly recognised as a practical solution to the challenges posed by urban development and climate and environmental concerns.

The eHub sites will allow people to select the most suitable mode of transport for their needs, aiming to provide a range of shared public travel options.

By providing alternative solutions, it will help to encourage people to try different mobility options.

Charlie McConalogue, TD, Minister of State, welcomed the launch of the eHub in Letterkenny which underlines the commitment from the Government to offer sustainable mobility options to our citizens.

“I am pleased to launch this facility with Donegal County Council and its partners,” Minister McConalogue said.

“Our National Sustainable Mobility Policy aims to deliver at least 500,000 additional daily active travel and public transport journeys by 2030 and a 10 per cent reduction in the number of kilometres driven by fossil fuelled cars.

“In order to do this we need to make it easier for people to choose walking, cycling, to use public transport daily and to have alternatives to having to use a petrol or diesel car.”

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Paul Canning commented that Donegal County Council was pleased to work with partners to deliver the first of its kind facility in the county.

“This eHub will offer both residents in Letterkenny and visitors alike an alternative, pay-as-you-go, sustainable mobility option to explore the town and its hinterland or the wider county,” he said.

“Donegal County Council has a wide range of transport projects at various stages of delivery that will support the continued development of Letterkenny as a strategic regional centre for the North-West, and this eHub will support this also.”

Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President, said she is delighted to see ATU’s continuing involvement in the expansion of the eMobility hubs initiative across the northern and western region.

“I’m particularly pleased to see the kind of engaged research that we envisaged in our strategic plan, with tangible impacts in communities, businesses and the environment,” she said.

For more information, please visit the ROBUST project webpage.