Ireland’s Ad Industry Launches 'Bike Library' to Accelerate Low-Carbon Commuting

Ad Net Zero Ireland has launched Net Zero Wheels, the first Bike Library created specifically for Ireland’s advertising and media sector. The year-long programme will see 45 professionals trial a Bleeper eBike for four months at no cost, offering a practical, low-risk way to adopt low-carbon commuting.

Delivered in partnership with UCD and Bleeper, and funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI),Net Zero Wheels marks a significant sustainability milestone for the creative and communication industries.

The launch follows the National Household Travel Survey which shows that cycling makes up just 3% of journeys nationwide, despite almost half of all trips being under 6 km- distances perfectly suited to cycling and eBikes. Cars continue to dominate at71% of all journeys, including daily work commutes, which account for one in five trips.

For urban-based industries such as advertising and media - where short commutes, meetings and events are part of daily life - this represents a clear opportunity for meaningful modal shift.

A New Approach to Active Travel in the Creative Industries

Across the programme’s 12 months, three groups of 15 participants will each be provided with a Bleeper eBike for a four-month period. The initiative aims to demonstrate how simple mobility shifts - like swapping a short car journey for an eBike trip - can positively impact wellbeing, creativity, productivity, and carbon emissions.

Participants will have access to a range of eCargo, eFolding, and standard eBikes, based on availability and suitability to their commute and lifestyle.

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Supporting National Sustainability and Urban Mobility Research

Net Zero Wheels forms part of Ad Net Zero Ireland’s mission to reduce emissions across the advertising supply chain and promote sustainable behaviours within the sector.

The project will also feed into research led by Professor Francesco Pilla and the UCD Smart & Sustainable Cities team, who will study the environmental, behavioural and wellbeing impacts of eBike adoption among professionals in real-world conditions.

​Claire Hyland, chair of Action 1, Ad Net Zero said, “Creative industries thrive on innovation - and that includes how we move. We’re proud to deliver Net Zero Wheels as an industry first, challenging our sector to rethink how we take short journeys. This initiative gives people a real, low-risk opportunity to trial eBikes and experience the benefits first hand, while also reducing our industry’s travel-related carbon emissions.”

Professor Francesco Pilla, University College Dublin said, “The Net Zero Wheels Bike Library provides a unique research opportunity. We know from national data that short journeys dominate Irish travel patterns, and that people who trial new modes of transport often change their behaviour once they experience the benefits first-hand. Understanding how eBike access influences habits, wellbeing and carbon emissions will help shape future sustainable mobility strategies in Ireland.”

Richard Greene, Bleeper said, “We’re delighted to partner with Ad Net Zero Ireland and UCD on Net Zero Wheels. Making eBikes accessible is one of the most effective ways to encourage modal shift - especially in urban areas where distance is not a barrier.”

Kate Goldsmith, Ad Net Zero Ireland and IAPI said, “As an industry committed to delivering a net-zero future, we must champion solutions that make sustainable choices easier. Net Zero Wheels goes beyond transport - it supports a shift in everyday behaviour. By enabling access to eBikes, we’re helping our IAPI agency members to reduce emissions while transforming how they travel, connect and create."

Individuals in IAPI member agencies who wish to reduce their carbon footprint and participate in the Net Zero Wheels programme to trial an eBike should apply here by Friday December 5th.