Today Ana Juan, president of the Consell de Formentera, and Rafael González, councillor of mobility, visited the exhibition of conventional and electric bicycles held this week in Sant Francesc's Plaça de la Constitució in celebration of Sustainable Mobility Week.
The president expressed her satisfaction with the actions that the Consell de Formentera has backed to promote the use of bicycles, one of the most sustainable and best suited vehicles to the characteristics of the island. "Cycling is a core objective of mobility. We must continue working to promote it and educate people about the importance of moving in more sustainable and healthy ways, and taking the car less is part of that".
New assistance
To continue this momentum, officials presented the new grants that the Consell de Formentera is offering islanders who wish to purchase bicycles or make them electric. The Consell is offering €100 to individuals interested in converting a conventional bicycle into an electric bicycle, €150 to those wishing to buy a conventional bicycle, €250 to individuals keen to buy a conventional bicycle and convert it into an electric bicycle and €450 to islanders who want to purchase an electric bicycle. Applications will be handled by the Citizen Information Office (Oficina d'Atenció a la Ciudadania, OAC) and Virtual Citizen Information Office (Oficina Virtual d'Atenció a la Ciudadania, OVAC) until none of the €11,400 in available assistance remains.
"The first round of assistance was warmly received", said Councillor González, pointing out that thanks to the Consell's help last December, 17 islanders acquired new bicycles. "This new round of assistance is about continuing to boost sustainable mobility", he added. "In response to rising costs we've increased aid by 50%, introduced two new lines of aid to include electric conversion of conventional bicycles and, rather than 11 years old, individuals must now be at least 18 years old to benefit from the assistance, since that is when many young people begin to move independently around the island and we hope to help them to do so by bike", according to Rafael González.
This week Formentera will hold the following activities to celebrate European Mobility Week:
Exhibition of conventional and electric bicycles
20 to 22 September, from 10.00am to 1.00pm in Plaça de la Constitució (Sant Francesc), Formentera's two specialist bike vendors host an exhibition of conventional and electric bicycles. Residents can try bicycles out and, if they like them, will be informed about assistance offered by the Consell de Formentera to purchase them. Among other items on display will be bicycle accessories, such as helmets, lights and vests.
Free tune-ups for residents
20 to 22 September, local cyclists will also benefit from a free servicing and tune-up. Taller Es Brolls Formentera (Carretera de la Savina, km 2) will offer the service from 8.00am to 7.00pm, and Formentera Cycles (Carrer Guillem de Montgrí, 35, Sant Ferran) will offer it from 4.00pm to 8.00pm.
Residents with an ID card and certificate of residence (preferably on mobile phone/paperless) can visit the shops and an expert will offer a free tune-up. The offer includes basic servicing of the chain, wheels and brakes.
20 September 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera
In the midst of European Sustainable Mobility Week, the Formentera Office of Mobility is pleased to report that, based on comparisons of summertime tallies performed in 2017 and 2022, the use of bicycles has increased by 150%; cycling is up 90% compared to data from 2019 and up 10% compared to data from 2021.
