About ISCycle

ISCycle will explore the potential impact of electric bicycle loans as a transport mode in an urban area in Ireland, as well as the capacity for managing the electrical waste produced by ebikes in the Irish context. Specific objectives of the ISCycle project are:

  1. To trial an innovative and inclusive behaviour change intervention to promote ebike uptake, active travel, and modal shift away from private cars.
  2. To determine immediate benefits and longer-term circular economy implications of ebiking, taking a life cycle perspective to evaluate the environmental impacts.
  3. To provide evidence-based guidance and economic impact assessment to policy makers to implement inclusive, sustainable ebike policies in the future.

Work packages

WP1: Behaviour Change Intervention

Work Package 1 includes a behaviour change intervention involving ebike loans to promote active travel as a transport mode. Participants will also be offered cycling accessories and cycle training as needed, as well as behaviorally-focused intervention components.

WP2: Environmental Aspects of Ebiking

Work Package 2 includes an assessment of the current prevalence of ebikes and potential for ebike growth in Ireland in order to assess the preparedness of the Irish WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycling) sector to manage waste produced by ebikes.

WP3: Communication and Dissemination

Work Package 3 relates to the management and dissemination of information, data, and results to as wide as possible of audiences, for example in academic journals and at international conferences, as well as through local organisations and social media.

WP4: Project Management

Work Package 4 includes all activities related to the co-ordination, financial management, and administration of the ISCycle project, as well as compliance with data management policies, communications plans, funding conditions, and institution-level governance and policies.

Anticipated impacts

Transport

  • Offering alternative transport modes to the private car, with potential gains in distance and cargo-carrying capacity compared to walking or cycling a conventional bike.

Health

  • Creating inclusive opportunities to adopt active travel behaviours that contribute to increased physical activity and reduced air pollution.

Climate

  • Promoting sustainable transport modes while assessing the potential environmental and recycling implications of emerging transport technologies.