The French Government has embarked on a $3.3 billion program to make bike riding possible and equally as attractive as using a car.
In a four-year program that runs until 2027, the government has pledged to double the national bike lane network by 2030 at a cost of $2.4 billion.
The program will increase the country's bike lane network from 50,000km to 80,000km by 2027 and 100,000km by 2030. Priority will be given to provincial cities and rural areas, as big cities have already received considerable state funding for cycling infrastructure.
An additional $160 million will be made available to less populated regions for long-term development of bike infrastructure.
The government has boosted its programs to aid the purchase of new bikes.
It will increase its electric bike ecological bonus from $321 to a maximum of $650 and its cargo bike ecological bonus to a maximum of $3200 for the purchase of a cargo bike, an electric bike trailer, a folding bike or a bike adapted for disability use.
A bonus of $240 is available for the purchase of non-electric bikes.
A $4800 incentive will be offered to motorists who convert to an e-bike or cargo bike and dispose of their cars.
Tax concessions will be offered to businesses that use cargo bikes to transport goods. The nation also will develop a national bicycle tourism strategy and spend $160 million to develop a bike reconditioning and recycling sector for the second-hand bike market.
The government will also increase spending on bike parking facilities in railway stations and in cities, boost spending on anti-theft bike marking and provide bike training for all primary schoolchildren.
(All figures are in Australian dollars)
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