City offers incentives of up to €30 a month.

Florence is launching a new incentive-based scheme to encourage the city's residents to cycle, particularly commuters who swap their car for a bicycle.

Cyclists who sign up to the pilot project - titled Pedala, Firenze ti premia (Pedal, Florence rewards you) - can earn up to €30 a month or a maximum of €2 a day.

The €1.2 million scheme is open to all over-18s resident in Florence and those who commute to the city for work or study from the greater metropolitan area.

In addition to owning a bicycle, participants are required to download and register with the Pin Bike app from 13 May.

An initial 2,000 kits with the anti-fraud tracking device will be available and can be collected at residents' local public relations (URP) offices from 20 May.

Once the system becomes effective from 3 June, users just need to pedal and the funds will start arriving into their bank account.

There are two types of financial rewards: commuters who normally use a car to get to and from work or university but swap their "polluting vehicle" for a bicycle will earn more.

They will receive 20 cent per kilometre, plus five cents for each kilometre on "generic" cycles as long as they remain within the municipality of Florence.

Cyclists who already commute to their place of work/study will be entitled to 15 cent per kilometre and 5 cent per kilometre on general routes.

The city says it will also give a bonus of €100 each month to the 200 users who accrue the most points on the app through "virtuous actions" including the number of kilometres cycled as well as participation in events and questionnaires.