A BID for up to £4m to transform Oxford's cycling network, removing accident blackspots in the city, is being submitted to Cycling England.

Oxfordshire County Council says the improvements could boost cycling in Oxford to levels only seen on the continent.

County Hall and the cycling group Cyclox are asking Cycling England for between £2m and £4m of funding to put Oxford on track to becoming one of 11 centres with cycling demonstration town status.

The money would mean gaps in the existing cycling network could be filled or upgraded, with improvements to sections that have seen serious accidents and generated most complaints. These should include the Plain Roundabout and its approach roads in the east, and the Botley Road-Frideswide Square area.

If secured, the money would also boost plans to create a cycle hire network in Oxford, similar to the one created in Paris. This scheme could see a network of bicycle stations set up at key points in the city, including the train station, Westgate shopping centre and park-and-ride sites.

James Styring, chairman of Cyclox, said: "From the cyclist's point of view, this could unlock some of the barriers to cycling in Oxford and reduce congestion.

"The network is quite decent in many places. But it's useless if at key points it is blocked. It's a bit like having a motorway that degenerates into a bridleway at certain points and then becomes a motorway again. It is simply not acceptable."

He said safety fears about crossing The Plain and cycling under the railway bridge on Botley Road put many people off cycling altogether.

He said his ambition was to see a fast and slow cycling network, with slower cyclists and families able to cycle along back streets.

The bid would also pay for extended cycle parking and signage. There would also be promotional work to develop a cycling brand to encourage people to cycle.

The bid is supported by both of Oxford's universities, the health service, rail operator First Great Western and national cycle route organisation Sustrans.

The first round of successful towns and cities will be announced in the summer, followed by the second round in the autumn.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, county council cabinet member for transport, said: "We aim to put Oxford on the map as one of Britain's premier cycling cities."