At the next school year in September, the children of Castelnau-de-Guers (Hérault) should be able to reach their primary school by taking the Écol'O Bus, an eight-seater collective bicycle designed by Yves Gruffaz.
“The bike is well advanced.
We still have the brakes and the electrical assistance to install and we will be able to have it approved by the Dreal (
Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing
),” indicates this handyman at heart who has discovered this type of bike in the Netherlands.
“I wanted to buy three and bring them back to France, but this proved impossible due to lack of approval,” he continues.
No matter, he will build them himself.
The idea appealed to the Occitanie region, which granted it funding of 50,000 euros as part of the My solution for the climate system.
“I drew the plans which were then digitized by a design office.
The frame is made of glued laminated wood, while the rest is made of aluminum.
The assembly was carried out from A to Z by children aged 7 to 11 years old.
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A second bike should be ready by the end of the year.
“Ideally, we would need three to do two rounds in the morning.
» And thus make children pedal who sometimes live 500 m from the school “but who many parents drop off by car today,” he laments.
Of the 83 students, 60 come by car.
» The route has been carefully studied to be done in complete safety, even if Yves Gruffaz does not despair of seeing the town put in place special signage.