According to Luís Nunes, the ‘Eco Bike’ system will make available a total of 100 bicycles in the first phase, which can be requested by filling in a specific form available on the university’s website.

Bicycles, available from Friday, 21 February, are loaned for a maximum period of six months and users can use them "as if they were theirs", although they have to observe some rules, said the project coordinator.

The availability of bicycles will be indicated 'online', in real time, on the university's website, but in the event of a waiting list, the scholarship holders are given priority, followed by students, said Luís Nunes.

The system will also allow monitoring the user's state of well-being through periodic surveys, since the idea of ??the project also involves “understanding if the use of the bicycle alters the user's physical activity habits”.

In parallel, an interactive computer application is also being developed that will map the roadways in the city of Faro considered to be safer by cyclists, he added.

According to Luís Nunes, another of the objectives of the project is to involve civil society in actions to be developed in both ‘campuses’ of the university, which will be open to the population on Saturdays so that they can enjoy the space in a free regime.

“We have planned actions to teach how to ride a bicycle and also the traffic rules”, said the official, noting that the “campuses” are like “small cities” with basic signage and that now they have more, with the project.

Thus, on Saturdays between 9am and 6pm it will be possible to enjoy both the 'campus' of Penha, as well as the 'campus' of Gambelas, already on the edge of the city, since it “has few areas and gardens to learn riding a bicycle”.

The idea came after a study carried out in the city of Faro, which indicated that “64 percent of families had only one bicycle per household”, which denotes “a deficit of equipment” and the likelihood that many people “do not know how to ride a bicycle”.

The request to use bicycles, acquired under the Environmental Fund of the Ministry of the Environment, is renewable, but rotation will be privileged, which means that the request may not be renewed if the bicycles have little use.

The user has to pay a deposit of 30 Euros, returned after delivery the bicycle in the same condition as when it was delivered.

The subscription of personal accident insurance is mandatory and the responsibility of the user, who can only use the bicycle within the limits of the district of Faro.

The ‘Eco Bike’ system is launched on Friday, 21 February, at 11am, in the Seminar room of the Rectory of the University of Algarve.