"As a gift, I received a cycling allowance of five marks"
Commuting by bike saves nature, gasoline and is good beneficial exercise
Many employees of the city of Äänekoski prefer cycling to work.

Marko Kuutti, Sari Hänninen and Sami Pellinen cycle their work trips a lot, also in winter. Jopo Hänninen did not make it into the picture. Commuter cyclists appreciate how good the cycling roads are in Äänekoski.
Construction engineer Sami Pellinen, office secretary Sari Hänninen and land use planner Marko Kuutti can often be seen at the town hall in their cycling camps, and sometimes also in the winter they ride their work trips that are a few kilometers long. The biggest motive for leaving home on a bike is good exercise, but as gasoline prices rise, so is saving money.
- Safety equipment is important and the fact that you can see well, especially in winter, Kuutti reminds. Commuter cyclists also appreciate the fact that the bike can be properly locked during the work day. Pellinen sometimes also conveniently goes to the city's construction sites by bike.
Everyone praises how good the cycling routes are in Äänekoski and that there are also good cycling roads all the way to Suolahti. Kuuti has a regular men's mountain bike and Pellinelle has a fat bike that can also be used off-road. Hänninen, on the other hand, recently won the city's cycling week raffle with the sympathetic Jopo, with whom the journey still unfolds smoothly.
Sari Hänninen came to the city of Äänekoski as a messenger in 1999, and she often made her trips within the city by bicycle. At that time, it was worth five marks for a bike.
- So I guess you can say that the city of Äänekoski has been supporting commuting cycling for decades, Hänninen laughs.
The city's electric bikes are free for staff commuting
The city of Äänekoski has eight electric bikes, which can be borrowed by the entire staff during the winter season and the use is free. Lending activities are handled by the staff of Mediakeskus Zoom of the Äänekoski workshop.
- The rental period for electric bikes is from two weeks to a month, depending on demand. Now four of the bikes are free, which means that it is currently possible to get a bike into use on a very quick schedule, the workshop instructor and the person handling the bike lending activity Emma Hiekkanen tells. The workshop also takes care of the maintenance of the bikes.
Last summer, six of the city's electric bikes were available to residents and summer residents for free. During the summer, they accumulated a handsome 286 kilometers.
- The longest distances were ridden on a bike from Kyläkauppa Voikukka, about 100 kilometers in total, says Hiekkanen.
Two electric bicycles were used by city personnel for commuting throughout the summer.
Ball forward!
Commuter cyclists in the city of Äänekoski throw the challenge forward, the mayor Matti Tuononen, that he would cycle to work one day. Will the mayor take up the challenge?
The city of Äänekoski participates in the communication campaign of Central Finland's climate week by publishing a series of information on the climate actions of the city of Äänekoski on October 10-14.10.2022, XNUMX. The city of Äänekoski also wants to challenge its personnel, residents, companies and other parties to joint climate talks. A sustainable environment is also one of the most important goals in Äänekoski's city strategy.

For more information:
Environmental manager Hanna Ahonen, 0400 893 683, hanna.ahonen@aanekoski.fi
News published 11.10.2022