Cycling England has launched a competition to find the country's first cycling city and 10 new cycling towns.
Cities and towns are invited to bid for a share of the £47m funding for the new demonstration areas, which forms part of the £140m funding for cycling announced by Ruth Kelly, transport secretary, in January.
The new towns and city will join the existing six cycling demonstration towns, which have pioneered initiatives including redesigning and building new cycle routes and training people to cycle safely.
Ruth Kelly said: "The demonstration towns have blazed a trail for the rest to follow. I hope the first cycling city and the new towns will learn from previous successes as well as bring forward new ideas about how to take cycling to a new level."
Cycling England chairman Phillip Darnton said: "More than 60 local authorities have already expressed interest in becoming demonstration towns and I look forward to seeing their ideas and initiatives to help get people cycling."
The deadline for applications is 31 March and Cycling England will announce the winning city in early June, along with at least five or six of the new towns.
