FOR a small fee you can do it on the streets of Paris, Barcelona and Copenhagen.

FOR a small fee you can do it on the streets of Paris, Barcelona and Copenhagen.

And Glasgow could soon be offering its citizens the chance to pick up a bike whenever the impulse takes them.

Today the city's top doctor, Dr Linda de Caestecker of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is calling for the city to adopt its own bike-hire scheme.

Dr de Castecker wants thousands of bikes to be available to commuters for a small charge.

The public health boss, who earlier this week called for a chips and fizzy drinks ban - as revealed by the Evening Times - said: "Paris was a community that relied on cars a lot. That is something we want to try to reduce so why not experiment with it and see if people accept it?"

Although the idea has not been agreed with council chiefs Dr de Caestecker said it was vital to "learn from other places".

She added: "The two imperatives of creating a sustainable society and improving health through increased physical activity come together in this one."

A number of schemes have already been launched in Glasgow to inspire more people to get on their bikes.

As the Evening Times reported last week transport agency Strathclyde Passenger Transport has been praised for its cycle-to-work scheme.

Staff are able to lease bikes from SPT and the fee is deducted from their wages while they have also improved parking for cyclists, with new facilities at Broomloan and the Renfrew Ferry, and new showers.

And free bikes were available from Glasgow School of Art last year in a scheme started by a student.

Congestion would make it harder to entice Glaswegians onto their bikes, Dr de Caestecker admitted.

She said talks had already taken place between the health board and city council about upping the number of cycle lanes.

She added: "Thre is only a small percentage of people who are willing to cycle in heavy traffic because of safety and it is not easy to solve that."