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| - The French government will commit an additional 20 million euros ($23.8 million) to subsidies for bike repairs or tune-ups, extending a popular programme aimed at easing public transport crowds during the coronavirus outbreak. The 50-euro subsidy will now be available until the end of the year, environment minister Barbara Pompili and transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari announced on Monday while visiting a Paris bike shop. Officials in the capital and other French cities have turned hundreds of traffic lanes into protected "coronapiste" bike paths, encouraging the cycling boom seen since lockdown was lifted in May. Use of bike lanes overall has jumped 30 percent since May, compared with the same period last year. So far around 620,000 people have benefited from the repair subsidy, but stores are still being flooded with demand and some in Paris are not offering appointments until November. The government's goal is for one million to have enjoyed the windfall by the end of the year, Pompili said. The national government will also increase rebates offered to low-income households for buying electric bikes by up to 200 euros, Pompili said. Overall, some 80 million euros will be spent on the subsidies as officials try to reduce dependence on public transport in a bid to cut coronavirus contagions. "We're living a bike moment," Pompili said, adding that the government's primary role was to ensure that all cyclists, from longtime commuters to novices, "can ride in complete security". Some 200 million euros will also be spent as part of France's 100 billion euro economic recovery plan to build secure parking spots at train stations and finance around 600 new bike paths over the next two years. so/js/sjw/jxb
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