Cycling and walking ambassadors have called on the Government to provide councils with greater powers and more money to make key changes in cities.
In an open letter to transport secretary Chris Grayling and the Tory party leadership candidates, it asks for a commitment to long-term devolved funding for cycling and walking and minimum standards for cycle lanes and other infrastructure.
They also claim millions of pounds have been wasted painting white lines on roads and calling them cycle lanes, when they actually do nothing to improve safety.
In their letter the commissioners, who include Olympic champions Chris Boardman, Dame Sarah Storey and Will Norman and former world BMX and track cycling champion Shanaze Reade, say painted cycle lanes are a 'gesture' and do nothing to make people feel safer on a bike.
They say: 'As there are currently no national minimum safety standards for walking and cycling infrastructure, these practices can and will continue wasting public money and failing to persuade people to change their travel habits.'
Ms Reade, who was appointed West Midlands ambassador this year, said: 'The measures we are calling for today could truly transform our towns and cities and offer cycling and walking as a real alternatives to the car for many journeys.'
