Billions of pounds could be saved if the government did more to make cycling and walking routes an infrastructure priority.

This is according to The Active Transport for Healthy Living Coalition (ATHLC), which has produced a report detailing how improvements to urban areas could improve people's health, reduce delays and boost local economies.

Health problems associated with what the ATHLC terms an "inactivity crisis" are costing the economy £10 billion a year, the group claims.

Traffic pollution costs £19 billion, traffic accidents £9 billion and delays £11 billion per year, the ATHLC says. All of these could be reduced if adequate walking and cycling infrastructure was provided.

A number of other benefits could be realised, it says, such as increased high street spending, more attractive and inclusive neighbourhoods and improved climate resilience.

The ATHLC said many car journeys are unnecessary and pointed out that only two per cent of journeys currently taken in the UK are by bike, compared with 27 per cent in the Netherlands.