BIDDEFORD (AP) – The University of New England is offering free bicycles to resident freshmen who agree not to bring cars to campus this fall, in one of the first giveaway programs of its kind in the country.

The offer is aimed at easing competition for parking spots, especially on the school’s main campus in Biddeford.

“We just have far too many cars on campus and we were going to have to look at putting in another parking lot,” said Barbara Hazard, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “Our goal here really is to shift a culture.”

Other colleges around the country are encouraging students to use bikes, usually by offering bike-loan programs, trails and other incentives. Ripon College, a small liberal arts school in Wisconsin, also is giving away bikes as an incentive.

In Brunswick, Bowdoin College will bar freshmen from bringing cars to school starting next year. It also has a bike-loan program and bike-storage facilities. Bowdoin and UNE also are among the colleges providing access to Zipcars, which are cars or SUVs available 24 hours a day for hourly fees to students and faculty.

UNE makes its carrot-and-stick bike offer as it increases parking permits fees for freshmen from $80 last year to $300 this year.

But it’s also offering any freshman living on the main campus and willing to leave a car at home the choice of a free hybrid bike, bike helmet and lock, or 28 prepaid hours of time in one of two new Zipcars.

Of the 478 freshmen planning to live on the Biddeford campus this fall, 110 have asked for the bikes. The school expects 115 to go for the Zipcar deal.

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