Rusty Chain Award to shame cycle-unfriendly employers

The Rusty Chain Award is an award that publicity-seeking companies will not be clamouring to win.

The Dublin Cycling Campaign is to award it to the employer whose efforts for its cycling staff are "non-existent or pathetic". "It probably would be embarrassing for a company to win the Rusty Chain Award," said Mr Brendan Ryan, spokesman for the Dublin Cycling Campaign.

"But we don't want to antagonise anyone. We prefer to campaign in a positive way. That's why we are giving the Golden Pedal Award."

Twelve companies have been nominated for this award, for the company or employer with the best facilities for their cycling employees.

"The provision of suitable cycling, parking, general changing amenities and general encouragement in the use of bicycles will be the measure by which the winner will be judged," Mr Ryan said.

The campaign believes employers should offer expenses to employees who use bicycles rather than cars for work-related travel.

"In one company, employees who use their cars around the city get 70 pence per mile while cyclists get nothing," Mr Ryan said.

He said a London company paid cyclists 30 pence a mile in travelling expenses and offered low-interest loans to employees to buy bicycles.

"We have over 200 active members and we don't know of any employer who offers travelling expenses to cyclists in Dublin," Mr Ryan said.

The Dublin Cycling Campaign has urged all employers to provide convenient and covered parking facilities for bicycles, facilities for changing clothes, and travelling expenses.

Today is the closing date for nominations for these awards, which will be presented on November 28th.