CORK HAS BEEN officially ranked as a “healthy city” by the World Health Organisation.

The city received the classification along with Copenhagen in Denmark and Nantes in France. It joins Belfast, Galway and Waterford among the Irish cities which have been accepted to the WHO network.

Only 90 cities world wide are members of the Healthy Cities programme, which aims to encourage local governments to prioritise health when making policy decisions. A healthy city is one which is “conscious of health and striving to improve it”, according to the WHO website.

Cork has introduced measures to encourage children to walk or cycle to school, including new traffic restrictions around schools. It is also introducing cycle training for schoolchildren.

Cllr Terry Shannon, Lord Mayor of Cork, said the Healthy Cities initiative would help “look at ways in which to make Cork a healthier place to live, be it through better urban design or the promotion of healthy lifestyles within the city.”

In a statement, authorities said joining the programme would be a “starting point” for Cork. Tomorrow councillors will launch a “health profile” for the city, detailing how healthy residents are today.

“The City Health profile provides a snapshot on the state of health in the city and it will guide the development of a plan to make Cork a more healthy place in which live, work and play,” Cllr Shannon said.