Mainor Ülemiste Ltd., which is developing Ülemiste City, was one of the first companies to join the Estonian National Cycling Strategy 2040 cooperation network to boost the development of urban space, where cycling is a natural part of everyday life. 

The vision of the national cycling strategy is that cycling in Estonia is daily, convenient and safe, and cycling is seamlessly connected to public transport for longer distances. 

According to the CEO of Mainor Ülemiste, Sten Pärnits, this fits well with the goals of Ülemiste City: “Cycling is not just a sport or a hobby – it is freedom of movement. We want people to find it easy and safe to come to the city by bike, and for this, the entire Tallinn cycling network must develop as a unified system.”

In addition to himself, other members of the Mainor Ülemiste board also prefer to commute by bike daily for most of the year. To make sustainable mobility a natural part of work and life, Ülemiste City has been consciously developed for years in such a way that cycling is as comfortable as possible and the benefits are also visible in real terms. 

“City mobility data and the daily carbon footprint of mobility are constantly monitored and shared on Ülemiste City screens,” explained Pärnits, adding that while the benefits of cycling may seem abstract to many, real data helps to understand the impact of mobility choices. In addition, the Green City service helps companies measure and reduce their carbon footprint – including the mobility choices of their employees.

In addition to sharing mobility data, Ülemiste City also offers cyclists other amenities. For example, they can safely leave their bicycle in a Bikeep holder, a parking garage or a warm underground parking lot. The city also has showers and changing rooms in the buildings that are open to all people in the city.

“For four years, Ülemiste City has been implementing the “Bike 2 Work” challenge, in which the number of participants has increased every year. For this number to increase even more, it is important that the area becomes part of a city-wide bike-friendly network,” said Pärnits. 

According to him, the pedestrian and bicycle tunnels planned under the Tartu maantee railway viaduct would significantly contribute to this. “The community here supports the construction of safe passages planned under the Tartu maantee railway viaduct, which will create a bike-friendly connection between Peetri, Ülemiste and the city center, also using the recently completed Lastekodu Street. We look forward to their quick completion,” added Sten Pärnits.

The goal of the Estonian Cycling Strategy 2040 is for cycling to be an everyday, convenient and safe mode of transportation for people of all ages, seamlessly connected to public transport.

The strategy was prepared under the leadership of the Transport Board and the Ministry of Climate, involving local governments, companies and experts. All public sector institutions, municipalities, companies, research and educational institutions and NGOs that wish to support the development of a bicycle-friendly and sustainable movement culture in Estonia are welcome to join the cooperation network.