It has been revealed that the Mayor of London will launch a new bike scheme which will urge cyclists to purchase bike insurance.

A programme has been designed that will see twelve councils in outer London receive £25,000 each to help them become ‘cycling boroughs’.

Transport of London wants to encourage more people in the suburbs to use two wheels instead of four and cut all car trips in half. Croydon, Brent, Dagenham and Barking are amongst the boroughs which will get the money.

Plans could include installing more secure bike parking spaces or improving junction layouts to make them safer for cyclists.

It is the first cycling-related announcement from City Hall in what the Mayor is hoping will become the “year of the bike” in London.

In addition, he will also launch a capital-wide bike hire scheme and the first two of 10 cycling superhighways, from South Wimbledon to Bank and from Barking to Tower Hill, this 2010.

Kulveer Ranger, Mr Johnson's transport adviser, said the scheme would also be “delivering health benefits and encouraging the use of local shops.”