Mary Creagh, shadow transport secretary: "If cycling was a pill, every GP would be prescribing it."

Encouraging people to walk or cycle to work instead of driving cars would reduce the £10 billion a year “burden” on the NHS spent tackling diabetes, according to MPs.

A cross-party group of MPs took part in the annual parliamentary bike ride from Kensington to Westminster this morning, convening in the House of Lords for a debate on cycle safety.

“At a time when we have millions of pre-diabetic adults, if cycling was a pill, every GP across the country would be prescribing it,” said Mary Creagh, the shadow transport secretary.

“In terms of added value, in terms of concentration for kids in lessons, in terms of massive health benefits - get more people walking and cycling and we’ll have gone some way to reducing