As Transport for London launched its long-awaited Barclays Cycle Superhighway on 19 July, Merton’s councillors and staff got on their bikes to ride the sections of the route within Merton that will provide a direct course to Central London in just 45 minutes.

The distinctive blue cycle lanes start at Colliers Wood Underground Station, travelling along the A24 and A3 and terminating in the City at Southwark Bridge. The Barclays Cycle Superhighway Route 7 is one of the first two routes to open in London, which will eventually result in the creation of 12 radial routes.

The event held on 19 July, was a public event on Clapham Common to mark the launch of the route, with an opening address by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London. Merton officers supported this initiative by also holding a cycle awareness event called Changing Places in Colliers Wood, which enabled cyclists to sit in a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) in order to understand the level of visibility experienced by drivers. Such an event was designed to enable cyclists to think more about their position on the road, in order to encourage safer cycling and increased awareness.

The council runs a comprehensive programme of cycle training initiatives throughout the year, specifically tailored to a variety of age groups. In the forthcoming months this will be supplemented by training programmes specifically designed to encourage commuter and leisure trips along the Barclays Cycle Superhighway.

For further details of the Barclays Cycle Superhighway routes and maps visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11901.aspx and for Merton Council cycle training initiatives telephone 020 8545 3205/6.

Merton council cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration Councillor Andrew Judge said: “London is a great city and all the more so when you travel by bike. The new Cycle Superhighway will give more space on our roads for cyclists. We want to see as many people out on their bikes as possible. It’s such a great way to travel and at absolutely no cost to the environment. Once you’ve made that initial investment in the bike, it’s also a very healthy and inexpensive way to get around.”