The government should provide wider support for cycling as a sustainable means of transport, the Bicycle Advocacy Group yesterday called, ahead of the upcoming Budget.

The group is asking for an allocation of 10 per cent of the transport budget for effective cycling infrastructure, which it said could give back as much as 35 times the investment.

Other suggestions include a 50 per cent grant on electric pedelecs bringing them into line with electric cars and as a way of making up for the 15 per cent drop in their use locally, compared to the average growth of 67 per cent in Europe.

The group would also like to see fiscal incentives for commercial deliveries by pedelec cargo-bikes, an ideal solution in other congested cities.

Bicycle commuters should also receive a tax incentive to cycle to work as in France, Germany, the UK and other EU states, the group said.