Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced £115m in funding for cycling projects across the UK.

The money will be split between eight major cities, with each using the money to improve the safety and accessibility of their cycle routes.

This covers:

• £22m for Birmingham, with plans to build the infrastructure needed to double the number of cycling journeys made there by 2023.
• £19m for Bristol, with a proposal to improve the city’s cycling network and routes across urban areas and Bath.
• £6m for Cambridge, with plans for new bridge over the River Cam, segregated cycling routes in the city and more links in South Cambridgeshire.
• £22m for Leeds, with plans to expand its current cycle superhighway and improve links to Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield and York.
• £22m for Manchester, with plans to develop more than 45km of new or improved cycle routes as phase two of its Cycle City plan.
• £10.6m for Newcastle, intended to make it easier for cyclists to get to work from in and around the city.
• £8.4m for Norwich, with plans to redesign 31km of key cycle routes.
• £3.m for Oxford, intended to provide better links between the city centre and south east of the city.

In government, the Liberal Democrats have worked to boost cycling infrastructure. Following Nick’s announcement last year of £100m for improving cyclist and pedestrian access along key roads in Britain, the government’s total investment in cycling was brought up to £588m.

Nick said:

“We are in the midst of a cycling revolution in the UK but we need to make sure we’re in the right gear to see it through. That’s why I’m so pleased to announce this investment for these major cities to make it easier for people to get around on two wheels.

“With the legacy of the 2012 Olympics and the Tour de France in Yorkshire last year still fresh in our minds, this money can help Britain become a cycling nation to rival the likes of Denmark and the Netherlands.

“Research shows us that boosting cycling could save billions of pounds otherwise spent on the NHS, reduce pollution and congestion, and create a happier and safer population.”