Cyclist crushed under bus in Kensal Rise

THE DANGERS of cycling on Brent's busy roads were thrown into sharp relief on Saturday (10) after a 35-year-old man suffered two broken legs after being crushed under a bus.

The collision happened shortly after 12.30pm in the busy afternoon traffic, at the junction of Station Terrace and Chamberlayne Road, and caused long tailbacks of traffic for more than an hour afterwards.

Air ambulances, the fire brigade and police rushed to the scene, and freed the trapped cyclist from the bus.

He was taken to Charring Cross hospital where he was treated for two suspected broken legs.

Cllr Mark Cummins, Brondesbury Park ward, was travelling through Kensal Rise at the time of the accident. He said: "It is always tragic when a cyclist is knocked over.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson in January announced he was giving Brent �25,000 to encourage cycling in the borough.

"This accident highlights the need to provide more training for bus drivers, especially given Boris is encouraging people to cycle through London."

A spokeswoman for the police said: "Police were called to reports of a road traffic accident on Saturday 10 July at 12.32pm at Kensal Rise.

"A cyclist was trapped under a bus.

"Air Ambulances and London Fire Brigade attended the scene. There was significant disruption to local traffic while the cyclist freed by the fire brigade.

"A male was taken to a London hospital with suspected broken legs."

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: "We were called to reports of a road traffic collision involving a bus and a pedestrian.

"We sent an air ambulance, an ambulance crew and a single response unit.

"A man believed to be 35-years-old was taken to Charing Cross hospital, in Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, with a serous leg injury.