One would have thought that in a city synonymous with cycling, someone would have the job of looking after their interests.

In fact, you would have thought that someone might be employed by the highways authority, Oxfordshire County Council.

Worringly, perhaps, despite trumpeting several grand schemes for cyclists, County Hall has not had a city cycling strategy for almost three years.

And no one is employed to champion the interests of the thousands whose principle mode of transport is the humble bike.

County Hall says none is needed because all their officers are trained in the needs of cyclists.

Pull the other one.

Last year, the authority failed in its bid to convince Cycling England that Oxford deserved a grant to improve infrastructure.

Cambridge was successful — and it can be no coincidence the city employs full time officers to look after cyclists’ interests.

It has also had a cycling strategy in place since 2001.

Cyclox, Oxford’s well-organised cycling pressure group, claims Oxfordshire is not backing its apparent political commitment to cycling with financial clout.

And they have a point. Remember the much-vaunted continental-style cycle hire scheme for the city centre? What about rows of new bike racks?

It is time for County Hall to put its money where its mouth is and prove it is on the side of the 20,000 people who access the city centre every day by bicycle.