Bike Bonus: “No Italian who wants to buy a bike should be left without it”.

Not only a faithful companion with which to enjoy the open air and moments of escape in your free time, the bicycle is increasingly becoming a means of transport dedicated to micro-mobility, as well as a great ally in everyday life against traffic and smog.

Lock-down and social distancing have fueled what was already becoming a good habit: movement, speed of travel, reduction of urban traffic. All these are excellent incentives for the use of bicycles and, in particular, e-bikes.

This has also been facilitated by the incentives that the State has already made available to citizens for some time, allocating 120 million Euros for the purchase of bicycles, both electric and manual, scooters and all those products that promote micro-mobility.

Sergio Costa, Minister of the Environment, announced a few days ago the allocation of an additional 70 million euros, thus bringing the total ceiling to 190 million euros, with the aim of further incentivizing what is now becoming, especially in large cities, a health and environmental trend.

“Never before has Italy responded in such a resoundingly positive way […] I see no risks regarding the bonus money: I have already set aside the funds of my ministry and I will ask Parliament, when converting the Relaunch Decree into law, to refinance the project and extend it to 2021. No Italian who wants to buy a bike should be left without one,” said Minister Costa.

The Minister himself also assures that we will not witness a deleterious “click day”, as the reimbursement will include a process that will take place on the Ministry’s platform and will proceed with the chronological reimbursement of purchases made, guaranteeing funds for everyone, within a few days of the request.

No more waiting around for a website that doesn't work.

The Ministry also wants to generate a new national mobility system and, for this reason, in addition to the bonus for citizens, additional resources of 300 million Euros are foreseen, for the construction of new cycle paths at municipal level and new cycle routes at national level.

“I would also like to add – concludes Minister Costa – that the initiative undertaken with Minister De Micheli regarding the modification of the Highway Code will allow for greater safety on the road by avoiding dangerous situations of conflict between those who use bicycles and motorists.

Clearly, we will not blame anyone, but we will move towards a different way of conceiving the relationship with our cities".

Citizens will therefore become increasingly protagonists of social life, preferring sustainable mobility with consequent reduction of pollution and all those health problems caused by pollution and a sedentary lifestyle.

A way to experience the city differently, in complete tranquility and safety; without giving up comforts and, perhaps, discovering your territories from a different perspective, impossible to enjoy from a crowded public transport or behind the glass of your car.