BUSINESSES could be given incentives to sponsor cycle lanes so more can be installed, according to one of York’s MPs.

Julian Sturdy, who represents York Outer, has called on ministers to consider giving firms who agree to pay for extra lanes discounts on their business rates, saying it could be dangerous for children to use their bikes in towns and cities without road sections being reserved for their use.

“I’m a great supporter of dedicated cycle lanes if we’re going to get more people out cycling, especially young people,” he said.

“We all know the difficult finances local authorities are facing at the moment, so there’s not a huge amount of money out there to fund dedicated lanes because they’re an expensive project. I think we need to look at new ways of getting this funding and I’d like ministers and the Government to look at all these new options and innovative ideas. Nothing should be off the agenda at the moment.”