One-fifth of people are considering commuting to work by bicycle but half of adults said they are worried about traffic on busy roads, according to a new study.

Research from Network Rail and charity Cycling UK, which questioned 2,086 people, found a further 22% were concerned their bike would be damaged or stolen, while another 15% were unsure about the availability of secure bike storage facilities near their work.

The two organisations have collaborated on an online journey planner to help users plot a cycle-friendly route between train stations and information detailing safer routes along quieter roads.

Network Rail also offers storage for 5,000 bicycles at its 20 managed stations across the UK, including Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly and London Waterloo.

Railway stations are among the targets for bike theft in the UK , with the number of bicycles stolen from station property rising from 4,500 in 2016-17 to 6,400 during 2018-19, an increase of 42%.

“With more people taking up cycling and considering using it as part of their journey back to the workplace, we wanted to let them know that our stations offer lots of convenient storage space for them to leave their bikes,” said David Biggs, managing director of Network Rail Property.