The beachfront city of Bari, in Southern Italy, is trying out a radical scheme to reduce the number of cars on its roads—it’s paying residents to bicycle instead. Mayor Antonio Decaro, above, hopes to double the number of bicycles by the end of this year.
For now, the test involves up to 1,000 residents who register for the plan. They’ll be paid 20 cents a kilometre for commuting to work or school and 4 cents for non-commuting miles. The distances are recorded by a tracking device on the bikes, and monthly earnings, capped at €25/month, will be paid directly into bank accounts.
The city will also subsidize purchases of bikes for those who don’t have one, with subsidies between €100 and €250. The most important part of the plan, in the long range, will be installation of bike lanes in key areas of the congested waterfront and central city.
