Italian taskforce promotes e-bikes as cities prepare to reopen

Source:China Sport ShowRelease time:08-May-2020Clicks:

Article From：BIKE europe

MILAN, Italy - A taskforce of experts put together by the Italian government to bring the country out of the Covid19 crisis are looking towards bicycles as a safer means of transportation in cities. Among the proposals of the task force, led by Vittorio Colao, are calls for financing of e-bikes to avoid crowding on public transport.

From May 4th, Italy will gradually relax the restrictive measures taken due to the corona virus. The taskforce will be handed ministerial powers to help rebuild the country during ‘phase 2’ of the coronavirus crisis response. One of the group’s objectives is to reorganise travel and regulate public transport and e-bikes may have a part to play.

Electric bicycles have been touted as a means to solve the problem of overcrowding of public transport in phase 2. The hypothesis was revealed by Giuseppe Sala, mayor of Milan, in his daily video, after speaking with the Vittorio Colao task force.

Governmental funding for e-bikes

“Yesterday I talked about it with the Colao task force: it was assumed that the government will finance the purchase of electric bicycles. It is a solution, one of the solutions and we will work hard to make sure that the bicycles can circulate better in cities. Before Covid19 we were blocked by a thousand rules and bureaucracy: but at this stage, using some creativity, we will have to find a way for bicycles to move around the city,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the taskforce is determining the different degree of risk for the various sectors of the economy. Bicycle retailers are included in the medium-low risk category.