The government approved Friday a plan to promote bicycle sharing, aiming to help create an environmentally friendly society and improve people’s health.

The promotion plan, endorsed at a Cabinet meeting, includes policies to double the number of designated bicycle parking spots to 1,700, where shared bikes can be borrowed, and to establish 40 model cycling routes with maintenance services offered on the roadside, by 2020.

The government hopes promotion of bike sharing will help reduce heavy traffic jams in the metropolitan area before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics.

With the use of bike sharing by foreign visitors in mind and in the hope of attracting international cycling competitions, the government also aims to construct bike lanes and parking facilities.

The plan was mandated by a law enacted in 2016.