A coalition of Britain’s biggest businesses, including GSK, Virgin Trains, Orange and the National Grid, have hit out after it emerged that George Osborne will fail to guarantee funds for safe cycling in the spending review.

The companies, which employ more than 250,000 people and include firms like Abellio, Sky and British Land, will today deliver an open letter to the Chancellor calling on him to invest in cycling as a means of reducing traffic congestion, tackling pollution and boosting public health.

The signatories also include representatives from the worlds of both cycling and motoring, with British Cycling and the AA both calling on Mr Osborne to pledge a budget of between £10 and £20 per capita each year to providing safe cycle routes around