TEN councils across Scotland have been praised for the action they have taken to encourage more people cycling.

Five local authorities - ­Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh, Fife and Glasgow - were singled out as the top performers by the National Assessment for Local Authority Cycling Policy.

They were assessed for their efforts across a range of areas, including leadership and ­commitment from councillors and senior staff, the resources they have committed to cycling and how much they understand the needs of local cyclists.

The Cycling Scotland report also found ten councils had made a significant improvement compared to previous report ­findings in 2005 and 2008, including Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, East Lothian and East Renfrewshire.

Also praised for their progress were Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland, North Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and Stirling.

But across Scotland as a whole there has only been a "slight improvement" and many local authorities still have a long way to go to reach the report's top rating, the report found.

Cycling Scotland chief ­executive Ian Aitken said there were many positives around the current climate of cycling in ­Scotland, with more and more councils investing in infrastructure and putting in place local strategic plans.

He said: "There's a whole momentum about cycling in ­Scotland which is fantastic, so it's all about keeping that going.

"What's good to see is central government and local government politicians actually buying in to the concept that cycling is a transport option in local authority areas. It's not just something that can be delivered on the continent - it can actually be delivered here in Scotland.

"Looking at Edinburgh, where 7% of people are now cycling to work, there is a realisation that it's becoming a very significant transport option and it needs invested in."

The report details the ­performance of every Scottish local authority in terms of how much cycling is included, ­prioritised and promoted in their local policy.

It was created in collaboration with all 32 councils in Scotland and included an overall score for each council as well as strategies for future improvement.

The findings was unveiled by Channel 4 news anchor Jon Snow, who was in Glasgow to chair the annual Cycling Scotland Conference at the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

Snow, who is also the president of the Cyclists' Touring Club, said: "Having the right infrastructure is vital to getting people out on their bikes.

"Good-quality segregated cycle lanes make cycling safer and give people who are nervous about mixing with traffic the confidence to travel through towns and cities on a bike. This type of infrastructure has to be planned, designed and installed at a local level, and so local authority commitment is essential.

"It is great to be able to track this commitment at an individual council level and I hope this report inspires all councils to push forward with their efforts."

Also in attendance was ­Transport Minister Keith Brown, who said: "Cycling is firmly on this Scottish Government's agenda and investment is at a record high.

"However, I believe we can and must all do more. Over the past year I have had numerous meetings with key stakeholders to discuss what interventions will move us forward on cycling.

"Community links and safe routes to school, as well as ­education and training, are vital if we are to realise our shared 10% vision for cycling and for a healthier nation."

Mr Brown said he wanted local authorities to be ambitious, bold and innovative in their approaches to cycling, "to come up with exemplar projects which can really make a difference".