Former cycling star Chris Boardman, who won gold at the 1992 summer Olympics, and BMX racing cyclist Liam Phillips are backing a campaign to encourage more people to cycle in the UK. They have written to their local authorities asking them to prioritise cycling. They tell us why:

Chris Boardman: 'My wife doesn't let my youngest cycle to school'

There are places in The Wirral that are magnificent for cycling. There are some lovely quiet coastal roads which, combined with the Wirral Way, can provide miles of safe routes. So why did I write to my council to ask them to support British Cycling's Choose Cycling manifesto?

There are two reasons. Firsly, I was shocked to see that commuter cycling levels in the area, despite the boom in leisure cycling, have decreased over the last decade. In other areas such as London, Manchester, Brighton and Bristol the number of people going to work by bike has doubled. Councils need more funding to plan in the long-term and build up cycle routes and strong local leadership is vital if cycling is to be accomodated on all roads and junctions. At the moment, the long-term strategy to make cycling an attractive transport option doesn't exist.

The second reason is about the future generation's ability to travel in a healthy way. My wife does not allow my youngest to cycle to school – and this is the case for millions of other people who want to cycle but don't because of concerns about safety. Instead more often than not we clog up our roads with cars. About two thirds of people who want to cycle more are put off by safety concerns. In New York they are changing streets to accommodate cycling. If a car-centric city can do this then there's no reason why towns in Britain can't do it too.

Wirral council must prioritise walking and cycling for short journeys – that's why I am asking them to commit to adopting cycle-proofing principles, to support the call for government to provide a budget-line for cycling and to provide the right political leadership to drive change.

Liam Phillips: 'I've had a few close shaves on the road in Manchester'

Although I now live in Manchester, I grew up near Bristol so I care about what happens there. The numbers of people cycling in Bristol is on the up and we now have a mayor who wants to make it even more popular.

The roads in Manchester are typical of any city, they've been designed for cars with a few cycle features but the trouble is there's no consistency and the cycling infrastructure simply stops or doesn't link up. I feel fine riding on the road but I understand why people don't want to – I've had a few close shaves. Manchester has a plan to improve things but the funding is not guaranteed.

I've been listening to Chris Boardman at British Cycling talk about the Choose Cycling campaign recommendations. I agree that we should be planning for cycling in the long-term. It would be great if Bristol could spend £10 per head each year so they could create a city where people are free to choose cycling. We need the type of streets and cycle lanes that everyone feels comfortable on – whether they're young, old, fast or slow.

Bristol is doing well compared to other places but there's so much more that could be done to make cycling a popular transport option. That's why we've asked for the mayor George Ferguson's support for British Cycling's proposals. The people who care about making Bristol a better place to live and work should support this.

Three tips for local authorities on getting people cycling:

• Cycle-proofing – Conduct an audit of relevant policies, regulations and guidance to ensure that the needs of cyclists are accommodated. This may include routine road maintenance programmes or planning policies to make sure the environment for those on bikes is up to scratch.

• Political leadership – Every city and nation that has seen big increases in cycling levels has made public commitments to reach them. It is vital that local authorities appoint a senior official who has responsibility for making change happen.

• Cycle awareness campaigns – British Cycling's core philosophy is the need for mutual respect between all road users. Often, awareness campaigns focus on what road users must do to improve their behaviour, however this can be counterproductive. Messages should be focussed on mutual respect such as the need to "share the road", "look out for each other" and "leave plenty of space".