A DETAILED plan is being drawn up on how to make Northwich a cycle friendly town.

Cycling experts Sustrans have been commissioned to investigate routes into and across the town centre to see what can be done to make it easier and safer to travel by bike.

The Guardian's Pedal Power campaign is all about inspiring our readers to cycle more, whether for fun, fitness, everyday transport, competition or even BMX tricks, and a decent cycling infrastructure is at the base of encouraging new riders.

Pedal Power is part of group that formed this summer to focus on the issue as a spin off from Northwich Neighbourhood Plan.

Mike Cooksley, chairman of the group, said: "This is not just yet again another report or another plan that's going to sit on a shelf and gather dust.

"This will be something that we can actually implement through joint funding or if Government funding becomes available we have then got something we can hang it on.

"If we have a strategic plan for Northwich we will have something we can apply for funding on."

Since the summer the group, backed by Northwich Town Council, has raised the funding needed to commission the report from sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

The brief for the report is to look at routes into and around the town centre, assessing existing routes, looking at potential new ones and investigating how to work around the gyratory system.

The plan will also include cost estimates and arrange projects in the order of low, medium and high cost.

In the summer we asked our readers what they would like to see to improve cycling in Northwich, and these suggestions will also be looked at by Sustrans.

Mike said: "We need to crack on with this in terms of trying to move things forward, we're way past the time where we need to see delivery matching aspiration.

"This fits very well with Cheshire West and Chester Councils's cycling strategy, in particular supporting neighbourhood groups in the formulation of strategies and cycling plans."

Clr Derek Bowden, a member of the group and of Northwich Town Council, said: "With all the redevelopment Northwich is going to be a magnet for the north west and we will have people fighting to come into town.

"We just want people to be able to bike in and out of town and around the town safely."

The report is expected to be complete in December.