The £29m plan for a Cycling Super Highway between Bradford and Leeds does seem to be on a huge scale and it is, on the face of it, an incredible amount of money that will surprise many people.

But it has to be borne in mind that this a very detailed proposal for a long and very important route. The scheme has been billed as the Highway to Health and its aim of getting more and more people on their bikes is very welcome.

If it does get people cycling it will have an impact in helping reduce obesity and improving the general fitness of converts. By taking more drivers off the roads, it should also reduce emissions and help make our environment cleaner – and it should also help improve road safety.

Those aims are extremely laudable and something we should be striving towards. However, the people behind this scheme have to be aware it is not just a case of if you build it, they will come.

As well as the lack of infrastructure, other reasons people don’t use pedal power more include an unwillingness to cycle for whatever reason or a general apathy towards it.

This scheme certainly tackles the first of those problems for a certain part of the district, but given the incredible amount of money being invested, it is vital that serious education and information programmes are put in place to encourage people to take up cycling to make use of this super highway.

The plan does appear to include a certain amount of inclusion and educational activities, and that is to be welcomed. But they have to be extremely well targeted to make sure enough people use this Highway to Health to make it work. This is a massive investment, both in cash and in terms of health and the environment. Everything possible must be done to make sure it pays off.