Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee has called for action to ensure that the internet stays open and is easy to use.

Unveiling a a partnership between the Web Science Research Initiative (WSRI) and the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA), the pioneer urged governments, scientists and businesses to do more to capitalise on the web's potential.

"The development of the web will have major social, economic and political implications for our future," said Berners-Lee.

"At its core must be a commitment to maintain the principles of openness as a platform for the sharing of information," he said.

Berners-Lee said the WSRI – a research body co-created by MIT and the University of Southampton to study web trends and how the web can be preserved and enhanced – is working to understand the web's growth and how positive developments can be used to enhance its functioning.

The Nesta and WSRI partnership will also consider ways in which the UK can take advantage of the web's rapid expansion.

Funding for the project was partly provided by Nesta, while BT has also donated capital to support the research initiatives.