Plans have been unveiled for the creation of two new cycle superhighways running from north to south and east to west London, with the £913m (US$1.5bn, €1.1bn) routes being dubbed 'Crossrail for bikes'.

The plans come as London mayor Boris Johnson continues to push to make the capital into a safe and cyclist-friendly haven, much like what is offered by the European cities of Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam.

Not only do the plans seek to open up London for cycling enthusiasts, but Johnson and other politicians in the city are hoping that the introduction of safer routes will help to inspire more people to take part in cycling to boost fitness levels and physical activity.

The routes will seek to offer riders more protection from other road users, with segregated cycle lanes, improved junctions and dedicated traffic signals.

As it stands, the plans are now at the point of a detailed public consultation, with a launch set for March 2016 if the ideas are given the green light.

“Bikes already make up 24 per cent of all rush-hour traffic in central London – hundreds of thousands of journeys every day that would otherwise be made by car or public transport. Because this isn’t just about cyclists,” said the mayor.

“Getting more people on to their bikes will reduce pressure on the road, bus and rail networks, cut pollution, and improve life for everyone, whether or not they cycle themselves.”

The plans follow another recent idea which has seen certain boroughs in the capital challenged to inspire the development of safer local cycling routes, with methods being based on ideas pioneered by Dutch town centres.

London has also been subject to plans for the creation of a 136-mile SkyCycle network, with the Norman Foster-led designs giving cyclists a dedicated route to explore the capital.

Elsewhere in Europe, EU politicians have been toying with the idea of turning symbols of Soviet power into cycling routes as they seek to mould the Iron Curtain into an iconic cycling route.