The thighs have it as Bristol is named first Cycling City

Anyone who has slogged their way up Bristol's thigh-busting Bridge Valley Road in the teeth of a stiff headwind could be forgiven for being surprised after the city was named Britain's official capital of cycling.

Though better known for its historical association with boats, Bristol beat a host of contenders vying for recognition as the premier place in the UK to travel on two wheels. Its streets will be filled with stands of self-service rental bikes, like those introduced in Paris.

Eleven other towns and cities boasting considerably flatter terrain than Bristol, among them Cambridge, York and Colchester, will also be receiving government money to upgrade their cycling facilities.

The announcement was made by Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, as part of the Government's plan to persuade 2.5 million more children and adults to take to the saddle – especially those currently using their cars to travel under two miles, a group responsible for a quarter of all journeys made each day.

"Cycling is an alternative that could bring real health benefits to millions of adults and children, as well as helping to save money and beat congestion," Ms Kelly said.

Having won the race to be named the UK's first Cycling City, Bristol can now look forward to £11.4m in cash to put towards new cycle lanes and the rent-a-bike scheme. There are even plans for showers for sweaty commuters, though the city must stump up a similar amount from its coffers to kick start the process.

But no amount of money can improve upon the work done by the rivers Avon and Frome, which over the millennia have carved their way through the region's ancient limestone to create the distinctive hillsides loved and loathed in equal measures by cyclists.

Bristol's bikers, who are currently responsible for between 3 and 4 per cent of all journeys there, insisted that the city's undulating landscape offered little impediment to determined cyclists.

John Katz, who works at Blackboy Hill Cycles, said the title was well deserved. "The amazing thing about Bristol is the amount of cyclists here. It is hilly but it is tiny so everything is reachable on a bike. Once you get used to the hills it's not that bad," he said.

Adrian Roper, regional director of the cycling pressure group Sustrans, which has been based in Bristol for 30 years, said the city had been in the vanguard of two-wheeled travel since the Seventies, when the 14-mile Bristol and Bath Railway Path opened.

It had also pioneered the use of advanced stop lines at junctions, which give cyclists a flying start when the lights turn green.

"There are definitely a lot of facilities here but they can be improved," he said. "In Malmo, in Sweden, 80 per cent of journeys are made by bicycle, which is absolutely phenomenal. No one should be put off by the hills and there are plenty of flat routes. Basically it is easier to get around by bike than it is by car."

Among the schemes being pioneered by Bristol is the UK's first on-street bike rental network offering 60 cycles for hire by the hour from 19 locations. It is due to be launched later this summer. There are also plans for a recycling scheme for bike parts and free repairs for people living in deprived areas.

It also intends to double the number of children receiving bicycle training.

The towns chosen to promote cycling are Blackpool, Chester, Leighton/Linslade in Bedfordshire, Shrewsbury, Southend-on-Sea, Southport, Stoke and Woking. There are also six cycling demonstration towns – Aylesbury, Brighton, Darlington, Derby, Exeter and Lancaster.