Study reveals that it also greatly reduces the chance of developing cancer

They are often derided as Mamils (middle-aged men in Lycra), but a new study suggests Britain’s urban cyclists will have the last laugh. Cycling to work lowers the risk of dying early by 40 per cent, and reduces the chance of developing cancer by 45 per cent.

Similarly a daily bike ride to the office nearly halves the risk of heart disease, according to a major study by the University of Glasgow, who tracked the health of more than a quarter of a million people over five years.

Over the study period 37 people in the cycling group died, but the researchers say the findings suggest that 63 would have died if they had all commuted by car or public transport. The findings held true for both men and women.

Dr Jason Gill, from the institute of cardiovascular and medical sciences at Glasgow University, said the Government must do more to make cycling safer and more popular.

“Cycling all or part of the way to work was associated with substantially lower risk of adverse health outcomes.

“If these associations are causal, these findings suggest that policies designed to make it easier for people to commute by bike, such as cycle lanes, city bike hire, subsidised cycle purchase schemes and increasing provision for cycles on public transport may present major opportunities for public health improvement.”

Walking to work was also found