France considers bike register as part of drive to increase cycling

Com­pul­so­ry scheme to cut theft would use motor vehi­cle-style own­er­ship cer­tifi­cate.

French cyclists would have to reg­is­ter their bikes on a nation­al data­base under a pro­posed law aimed at increas­ing cycle use and reduc­ing thefts.

Bike own­ers would be giv­en a “cer­tifi­cate of own­er­ship” sim­i­lar to car doc­u­ments to be either pre­sent­ed to the police if the bicy­cle is stolen or trans­ferred with the bike when it is sold.

Each cycle frame would be marked “in a read­able, indeli­ble, per­ma­nent and unforge­able way in a clear­ly vis­i­ble place”, the draft text says. The reg­is­tra­tion num­ber will be in a form that can be ver­i­fied by an opti­cal read­er.

The pro­pos­al is part of a 25-point, €350m (£308m) “Plan Vélo” to be unveiled by the gov­ern­ment before the end of the year. It is expect­ed to come into effect in 2020 and is aimed at tripling the num­ber of short jour­neys made by bicy­cle by 2024.

Source : France con­sid­ers bike reg­is­ter as part of dri­ve to increase cycling | World news | The Guardian