The government is accelerating the bike. Two billion euros will be invested over the next four years in France to develop cycling, infrastructure and the economic sector as part of the cycling and mobility plan 2023-2027. This is presented this Friday, May 5 on the occasion of an interministerial committee.
In total, more than 6 billion euros will be invested by 2027 if local authorities are taken into account, according to government sources interviewed by AFP. The objective is to make the bicycle “an attractive alternative to the private car” and a means of transport “accessible to all, from an early age and throughout life”, according to this plan. viewed by The Parisian. “The state’s effort is unprecedented, massive and unprecedented”, advances to of the Parisian Transport Minister Clément Beaune.
The executive plans a whole series of measures to promote the practice of two-wheelers, starting with the development of cycle paths and lanes reserved for bicycles. In 2023, the State has already planned to invest 200 million euros in infrastructure. This effort will be continued until 2027 with the extension of aid.
“Over the duration of the plan, the active mobility fund will be made permanent to the tune of 1.25 billion euros, or 250 million euros per year to accelerate the development of cycling facilities throughout France”, specifies a document describing the plan. .
The development of cycle routes encouraged
The government also wants to promote the development of cycle routes, popular with cycle tourists, via state-region plan contracts. Currently, 57,000 km of secure cycle paths exist in the territory. The objective is to reach 80,000 km in 2027 and 100,000 km in 2030.
State aid for the purchase of a bicycle will also be extended until the end of the bicycle plan in 2027. This aid will also be open to the purchase of second-hand bicycles, electric or not, resold by professionals, hitherto excluded from the system. As specified The Parisianit will however be necessary to wait until autumn 2023. The amount of the subsidy will be defined in the next finance law.
Changes to the Highway Code will also be tested to improve the circulation of bicycles. “It is proposed to install footrests at the edge of the roadway in order to allow cyclists to stop at traffic lights without having to get off the saddle”, specifies the document.
A delay in the passage to the green light for cyclists will also be tested in places to “allow cyclists to evacuate the airlock and regain sufficient speed before the departure of other vehicles”. The use of bicycles to get to work will also be supported by increasing the sustainable mobility package for the public service from 200 to 300 euros.
Limitation of flights
“The State aims for 100% of its sites to be equipped with secure bicycle parking by 2027”, adds the document. To limit thefts, it is planned to generalize the registration of bicycles in the national cycle identification file. The number of secure locations near stations should also be increased to 90,000 by 2027 from 30,000 currently.
In addition, specify The Parisian, aid for the financing of secure car parks, bike boxes or supervised parking areas, will be put in place. Co-owners, establishments or social landlords are eligible (Alveole + program).
Bicycle driving training sessions for young people aged 6 to 11 will also ramp up with 850,000 children trained each year from 2027. Finally, the State wants to support the bicycle production sector in France with aims to exceed 1.4 million bicycles produced in 2027 against 854,000 in 2022.