The health and environmental benefits of the National Cycle Network have saved the UK economy almost £1m a day since it was established 20 years ago, according to new research.

Cycling charity Sustrans, which created the Network in 1995 with a £42.5m grant, says the findings prove “beyond doubt” the case for a greener transport strategy. The National Cycle Network, which connects every major town and city in the UK, is credited in the report with improving people’s health and reducing congestion, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, helping to save more than £7bn.

“The figures speak for themselves – we have demonstrated beyond doubt that many more people walking and cycling is good for our health, and it’s smarter for our economy,” said Sustrans CEO Malcolm Shepherd.

“If a charity can lead the creation of a Network of routes that runs the length and breadth of the country, imagine what could be possible if government created safer conditions for walking and cycling, including reducing speeds.”

The report identifies £6bn of savings which have come from reducing health costs, a result of people being healthier due to walking and cycling more of their journeys. With the wider cost of physical activity to the UK economy estimated to be as much as £20bn each year, Sustrans is calling on the government to press on with developing its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to ensure even more people can choose to walk and cycle their everyday journeys.

“To make walking and cycling local journeys an option for everyone we need the new government to provide funding for cycling and walking to be equivalent of 5 per cent of the transport budget,” added Shepherd.

“(We also need) a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy that contains a long-term vision and targets, in the same way that already exists for our roads and railways. This relatively small investment has the potential to have huge benefits for us all.”

The ability to place a tangible figure on a sector or initiative’s value to society is seen by public health groups as a key stepping stone to gaining support in a time of straitened budgets.

In her maiden speech at the recent ukactive Flame Conference, ukactive chair Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said the physical activity sector has the potential to broaden its appeal to investors and gain ‘an even bigger wingspan’ if it can demonstrate its true economic value. A detailed report of the sector’s value (in terms of its wider economic impact) is expected to be delivered by ukactive in the coming months.