It was opened on 11 September 1995 following a National Lottery Millennium Commission grant to the sustainable transport charity Sustrans.

At the time there were no dedicated national cycle routes in the UK, but now Sustrans claims this safe, maintained network passes within a mile of 57% of the population.

Using the network couldn't be easier; the various routes are signposted with a white bicycle symbol on a blue background and the route number alongside it. Full route maps are available on the Sustrans web site.

While the routes are dedicated for cyclists, up to two thirds of them are not on traffic free roads, so Sustrans has also taken some responsibility for initiating cycle training for all ages, particularly children, to raise awareness of safety issues and help them avoid personal injury while cycling.

While the picture appears rosy, the NCN is nowhere nears the size of networks in The Netherlands and Scandinavia, where the cultural shift towards cycling began far sooner than  here in the UK, and where planning and cycle infrastructure is a high priority, resulting in injury and fatality figures lower than those seen here.

That said, Sustrans will continue to expand the NCN, bringing it closer to more of the population to coincide with the UK-wide increase in cycling-based activities.

'The progress Sustrans has made with the NCN, and its continuing support for it, has to be applauded. It began with a vision which in 1995 was not particularly fashionable. Today, Sustrans' message forms part of many a local and highways authorities' agendas. Even non- cyclists would recognise the network's blue signage.''

With more miles of NCN than motorways in the UK, now is be the key period for capitalising  on widespread public feeling that cycling those short A to B journeys, rather than taking the car, may be the way forward.

If, over the next 15 years, the NCN continues to grow, with more routes and wider coverage, there'll be few detractors in light of the benefits cycling can bring to our personal health, our road network, and the environment.

Access Legal provide several free legal guides on cycling safety and awareness as well as other topics.

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