The brightly dressed MPs and peers got on their bikes in an attempt to raise the profile of cycling, which they say is a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to taking the car to work.

Labour MP Austin Mitchell gets ready for the off

The race, one of the highlights of National Bike Week, was organised by the Cyclists Public Affairs Group.

The Liberal Democrat MP, Don Foster, whose recent Bill on road traffic reduction received the support of the government said:

"No doubt cycling is going to increase, not least because more and more people are finding it impossible to drive to work in their cars, so there will be an increase in the use of public transport and an increased use of cycling."

'Better than the bus'

The Liberal Democrat contingent raring to go

The Labour MP Anne Campbell, who cycles to the Commons every day, said: "It's so much nicer than waiting for a bus but cycling in London is really awful. We need less traffic."

Traffic calming, traffic reduction and fully integrating cycling into transport policy are the key issues that cycling campaigners are hoping to raise as the publication of the government's new transport White Paper approaches.

A spokesman for National Bike Week said he hoped the White Paper would encourage employers to provide better facilities for those wishing to cycle to the office.

He said providing secure places to keep bikes at work, as well as lockers and showers would help persuade many people to take their bikes out of the garage and get them back on the roads.

Besides, employers themselves could benefit from these measures as they would not "need parking spaces and they'd have a healthier workforce".