Cyclists are enjoying improvements, such as in Newcastle and Gateshead

Cities across the north of England are leading the way in demonstrating the future of urban bike travel.

However, as city councils’ budgets are cut, building cycling infrastructure that saves lives could drag on for years.

On the day that The Times began its Cities Fit for Cycling campaign, ten cities threw their weight behind our manifesto. They were Liverpool, Birmingham, Leicester, Bristol, Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Sheffield and Belfast. Later, Brighton and Hove, Salford, Middlesbrough, Cambridge and London did the same.

A year on, Newcastle is planning an ambitious network of seven cycle routes. “Eventually, I suppose, we’ll have something like a spider’s web,” said Anne Clark, cycling officer for Newcastle City Council.

However, the routes could take years to complete because of huge