An ambitious £2million plan to build new cycle routes across Islington was given the nod this week.

The cash, which comes from Transport for London (TfL), looks set to be used for new bike paths, predominantly in the south of the borough.

On July 16, Islington Council’s ruling executive gave the green light to draw up detailed plans before conducting a wide-spread consultation.

Cllr Claudia Webbe, Islington Council’s executive member for environment, said: “We want to make Islington a safer, better place for cyclists and pedestrians.

“The council has developed this pioneering programme, which aims to create new high quality cycling routes in Islington for residents, workers and visitors alike.

“It’s essential that local residents and businesses have the chance to have their say, and there will be full consultation on the routes.

“We will continue to campaign for funding for our other proposed routes in Islington.”

The proposed routes are:

– from Clerkenwell Road’s junction with Farringdon Road to the Old Street roundabout

– from the junction between Lloyd Baker Street and Farringdon Road to Arlington Avenue at the junction with New North Road

– from Bath Street’s junction with City Road to Finsbury Square at the junction with Wilson Street

Cllr Caroline Russell, from Islington Green Party, said; The proposed network of new cycle routes will make local journeys safer and more pleasant for people on bikes and on foot and will be brilliant for all Islington residents even those who will never ride a bike.

“The borough is missing its targets on tackling obesity while all the evidence shows that promoting physical activity by making it easy and safe to make daily journeys on foot and by bike is an effective way to improve health across populations.

Perhaps now, Labour will start joining the dots and see that promoting driving by giving increased road space to car parking is bad for obesity targets, bad for air pollution and bad for the health and well-being of residents.”

Consultation on the plans is expected to start in the next few months.