A report by one of the world's leading health bodies has claimed that 500 lives could be saved every year in London if more people took up cycling.
The World Health Organisation's research says that London would see good health benefits if it adopted the same level of activity as Copenhagan, with there being potential for 8,000 jobs to be created too.
Sustainable transport charity Sustrans has backed the WHO's findings.
Sustran's London director German Dector-Vega said: "The evidence that cycling keeps the wheels of the economy turning and is essential for our good health is now beating us over the head and cannot be ignored.
"We must act now to end car dependency and make cycling a safe and convenient choice by lowering traffic speeds, creating more dedicated space on our roads and by improving education for drivers," Dector-Vega added. "Cycling is a silver bullet that could rescue the UK from the physical inactivity crisis, the economic downturn and dangerous air pollution."