London Assembly member visits the borough to promote cycling

A green politician visited the borough today (Friday)as part of a campaign to get residents on their bikes.

Jenny Jones, a Green party London Assembly member, arrived helmet clad and bike at the ready outside Wembley Park Tube Station as part of her London-wide crusade to get people cycling.

Mrs Jones, who is also the Green candidate for the Mayor of London elections next year, told the Times she would be scrutinising the facilities available for cyclist in the borough.

She said: “My main aim is to encourage the importance of cycling.

“I will be visiting places around the borough and seeing how accessible they are for cyclists and what could be done to improve them in the long term.

“I’m also going to visit some of the more dangerous areas in the borough for cyclists as it’s very important that they have a safe environment in which to travel.”

As part of their cycling tour, the team peddled toward the North Circular Road, Blackbird Hill and Neasden Lane interchange in Kingsbury.

Cyclist highlighted the problems they face tackling the North Circular Road as it separates the north and south of the borough.

David Arditt, from Kingsbury, is the secretary of Brent Cyclists, he said: “For people living in the north of the borough it’s very difficult to cycle into the city centre.

“People in Kilburn are able to cycle straight through but for others unless you cycle on motorways and major roads you are hemmed in by these impermeable barriers.”

However, the potential of the borough to be able to accommodate safer cycling was apparent after plans were drawn up for brand new cycle routes across the borough, although they have not yet been implemented.

Mrs Jones, a former Road Safety and Green Transport Advisor to the Mayor of London, said: “Brent is a wonderful borough and I want to encourage people to get on their bikes and out of their cars but we need to address problem areas and if I can help I will.”