Introduction of multi-person bikes across Ennis have been suggested as a way of “promoting inclusion” in the county town.
Investment in the Van Raam Fun2Go side-by-side tandem bikes was requested by Cllr Ann Norton (IND) at the most recent sitting of the Ennis Municipal District.
She noted that research is proven that “exercise is good for people with dementia. Moving ensures that the mental deterioration slows down. You improve your thinking skills, restlessness, passivity and your blood circulation with exercise”.
With the bikes, Norton explained “you can sit comfortably next to each other while enjoying a great bike ride. Because you sit next to each other, the supervisor can keep a close eye on the co-driver and assess whether he or she is still having fun or is tired. If the co-driver gets tired, the foot plate can also be used or the Fun2Go side-by-side tandem can be put in another position, so that the co-driver doesn’t have to pedal along. In this way, the caregiver and patient can enjoy a carefree bicycle ride and the person with dementia gets enough exercise at the same time. Take a pleasant day out, for example, and stop in between for a cup of coffee, with a piece of cake”.
Different modes of transport around Ennis ned to be explored, the Barefield representative believed. The potential introduction of the multi-person bikes were discussed by the Temporary Covid-19 Ennis Town Centre Mobility Plan taskforce, she outlined. “It is another way of looking at improving the health and wellbeing of people with different forms of disability as they grow older”.
Her suggestion was labelled by Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) as “a fantastic proposal”. He added, “This is a great idea and something we could look at going forward with our mobility plan and everything, it could be very inclusive”.
