Jenny Jones investigates Brent cycling issues

Jenny Jones and Shahrar Ali listen to Brent Cyclists' concerns

Jenny Jones, the Green Party's candidate for London Mayor, visited Brent today as part of her fact-finding tour of London boroughs regarding cycling facilities.  Members of the Brent Cyclists' Group and Brent Green Party told her about some of the local issues and took her on a ride from Wembley Park down to Neasden Shopping Centre and Gladstone Park.

One of the central issues was the problems cyclists face in crossing the North Circular at Neasden. The North Circular splits Neasden in half and travelling south the cyclists has the choice between 'Death Canyon'  where the main road goes under the North Circular at the Neasden Stonehenge roundabout and joins another roundabout at the top of Neasden Lane, or the pedestrian underpass to the Neasden shopping centre which is shared with pedestrians. Many users have worries about safety in the pedestrian underpass.  Travelling from south to the north there are even more problems with cyclists having to negotiate fast-moving traffic from a slip road which joins the main road from the left.

Pointing out the dangers at Neasden roundabout

Jenny promised to look into the possibility of a road level crossing at the North Circular for north-south transit and any interim improvements that could be made. I told her that this had been cited as a possible route for children cycling from the south of Brent to the Ark Academy and remarked that this seemed to be a way of reducing the pupil population of Brent!

Other issues covered included the lack of cycling routes in the north of the borough and the intensive use of cars in that part of Brent, the impact of the Brent Cross Regeneration on cyclists and concerns about the changes being suggested for Staples Corner.

Link to Brent Cyclists blog HERE