THREE-quarters of people think more money should be invested in cycling, according to new research, some of which was carried out in the North-East.

A survey of 11,000 people across seven UK cities found that on average people want £26 to be spent per person on cycling each year.

According to travel charity Sustrans - which commissioned the Bike Life Survey - the current amount spent in England is £4 per person, while in Scotland the figure is £12.

Even 71 per cent of people who never ride a bike think funding should be increased, the study found. This rises to 87 per cent among regular riders.

Two-thirds (66 per cent) believe more cycling would make their area a better place to live and work.

Funding levels for the new Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in England have not been announced by the Government, but Sustrans policy director, Jason Torrance, called for it to be "ambitious" in order to guarantee long-term investment in active travel.

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He went on: "The message from the public couldn't be clearer. There's a desire to cycle more, but that a lack of safe places to ride bikes is off-putting.

"People want governments to spend more, and say that they would cycle more if it were safer. Now governments must close this gap between current spending and public demand.

"Physical inactivity, congestion and declining air quality cost our economy billions. Government must act to secure a greater share of current transport investment for cycling and walking."

The survey was carried out in Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Greater Manchester and Newcastle.

The report is based on the Copenhagen Bicycle Account, which began in 1996. This research, which includes surveys about the population's perception of cycling infrastructure, have persuaded Danish policy makers to turn the capital into one of the world's most bike-friendly cities.

Sustrans hopes the same can be achieved in the UK following its own investigation.

WWF Scotland director Lang Banks said: "It's good to know the vast majority of people support the idea of more investment in cycling. Given that carbon emissions from transport remain stuck at 1990 levels, there's a real need to encourage the public to cycle and walk more.

"As we approach the Holyrood elections, we're looking for all the political parties to commit to allocating a much greater proportion of capital spend to low carbon infrastructure, including projects that would help boost cycling and walking."