While 70 per cent of Britons believe cyclists are harmless, keep down traffic and are good for the environment, an equal proportion think they should be required to buy liability insurance like their driving counterparts.

Adam Powell, head of operations at Policy Expert, which carried out the research, said: “Insurance for cyclists is a heavily debated topic. It’s apparent that the majority of Brits would like it to be compulsory for cyclists to buy insurance, much like drivers do. But this would be a huge regulatory step to take.”

The survey also found that almost half of cyclists (46 per cent) do not have insurance for their bikes when away from home, leaving them exposed to theft and any damage they may cause when cycling.