OXFORD could become one of Europe’s greatest cycling cities under ambitious plans by the city council.

The local authority has revealed its vision, inspired by Denmark’s bicycle culture, that would see more than 40 “cycling improvement schemes” across the city over the next two years.

Its masterplan could also result in it working with the county council – as the highways authority – to invest in a cycling budget of at least £10 per person per year by 2020.

The proposals have been praised by bike riders across the city, who have said they are pleased the city council is championing cycling.

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Co-founder of cycling group Cowley Road Condors Ollie Jaques said: “I think Oxford is known for bikes and cycling. It’s very exciting for the people and for the local area if the council is determined to move this forward and have Oxford as a home for cyclists.

“Cycling is a wonderful way of getting healthier. This is the healthiest I have ever been.”

The vision was revealed at the city council’s scrutiny committee meeting last Monday[sep7], after it set up a cycling review group to find out how Oxford could mirror successful biking schemes in other parts of the continent.

Councillors came up with a wish-list of cycling improvements, with a budget of about £110,000, which included spending £25,000 on providing signage along a cycle route from The Plain to the Kassam Stadium and spending £5,000 to remove one-way restrictions for cyclists in Howard Street and Magdalen Road.

They also proposed installing a new crossing in Iffley Road near the junction with James Street, as well as creating a new cycle route from the junction between Marston Road and Headington Road towards Ferry Road.

City councillor for North ward Louise Upton, who lead the review, said cyclists travelling between East Oxford and The Leys needed an “alternative” route that would not take them down busy Cowley Road.

She added: “Despite all the money that has been spent on Cowley Road, it’s now terrible to cycle down.

“Most drivers are really considerate and cautious and give you a wide birth but there is a small minority who don’t and skim right past you and that’s scary.

“We want to have a really good alternative to that.”

Ellie Smith, a director at workshop Broken Spoke, said providing an alternative route for cyclists travelling from East Oxford to The Leys would be welcomed.

She added: “There is not an awful lot of space on that road. Taking cyclists on quieter roads, that’s an encouraging idea. We need to help people who are less confident about cycling down Cowley Road to still take the trip.

“It’s very encouraging to hear there is this kind of ambition. It may take a long time but we can get there. There’s enough people in Oxford who cycle and enough people who are passionate about it.”

The review group met four times between March and June to discuss ways the city council could spend its unallocated cycling budget.

Mrs Upton said she was impressed with the uptake of cycling in Denmark after watching a video about Copenhagen’s biking schemes and hoped Oxford could follow suit.

She added: “They have quite a good attitude to cycling. It’s something that everybody does.”

Examples included making sure new developments in the Denmark city had cycle parking and having dedicated cycle route, as well as traffic lights which are not just coordinated for cars.

Mrs Upton said getting all residents cycling would also help tackle the “obesity epidemic” in Oxford after a Public Health England report released in June said about 7.3 per cent of children between four and five in Oxfordshire are obese, compared to 6.4 per cent in 2014.

She said promoting cycling would also help to tackle Oxford’s traffic problems and help improve air quality.

Mrs Upton added: “We can fix so many problems that there are in the city if we can get more people on bicycles. I think it can help tackle inequality because everyone can cycle.

“It’s the cheapest way to get around. It’s good for residents, it’s good for the city, it’s good for the environment.”

The review group suggested the city council should encourage its Direct Services teams and Thames Valley Police to send abandoned bikes to Oxfordshire’s cycle shops, where they could be refurbished for reuse.

Councillors also proposed nominating a councillor to become a “member cycling champion” to work within schools and with businesses to encourage more people to cycle.

Mrs Upton said the city council will now work on implementing proposals which do not need county council approval after recommendations by the cycling review group were presented to the city council’s city executive board last Thursday.