The absence of the bicycle in the climate bill had been strongly criticized.
During the first reading examination of the climate bill on Friday, the Minister of Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili defended an amendment providing for several aid for cycling including a bonus for people wishing to replace a polluting vehicle with an electric bicycle.
Unanimously, the National Assembly voted on Friday evening a series of aid for the purchase of bicycles, including the extension of the conversion bonus to electrically-assisted bicycles (VAE): a purchase aid in the event of disposal of polluting vehicles.
During the first reading examination of the climate bill, the Minister for the Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili defended a "package of aid" for cycling, in full "boom" after the "first confinement" of 2020. L The government amendment provides for an extended conversion bonus "to people wishing to replace an old" polluting "vehicle with an electrically-assisted bicycle", as well as a "bicycle bonus" in particular for "the acquisition of more expensive cargo bikes but which allow much more varied uses, ”she explained.
The measure also aims to increase the bonus for the purchase of heavy vehicles with very low emissions when they are equipped with blind spot detectors, in order to protect pedestrians or cyclists.
The absence of the bicycle in the climate bill had caused some confusion among the deputies with a transpartisan platform in the daily
Liberation
in March.
One of the signatories of this text, Guillaume Gouffier Cha (LREM) welcomed in the hemicycle "real progress".
A booming market
Asked by LR deputies on the budget allocated for this aid, Barbara Pompili assured that credits were already available, sums earmarked for the conversion bonus but not yet used at this stage.
The French bicycle market jumped in 2020 by 25% over one year, propelled by the Covid crisis and government measures, according to Union Sport & Cycle, which represents the sector.
If the number of bicycles sold has remained stable at 2.6 million copies, turnover has exceeded three billion euros, boosted by sales of electric bicycles, sold 2,079 euros on average.
"Aid for the repair of bicycles (the" Bike boost ") has largely contributed to the return to the saddle of the French after leaving confinement", according to the organization.
With more than 500,000 units sold in 2020, electrically assisted bicycles (VAE) now represent one in five bicycles sold in France (+ 29% over one year).
In particular, sales of electric mountain bikes have exploded.
But France remains far behind its Belgian, German and Dutch neighbors.