TRUCKERS in the borough experienced half a day in the life of a cyclist.

As part of Redbridge's commitment to becoming a Biking Borough, around 70 HGV drivers completed their Safer London Driving course over the summer.

Part of the course involved spending half a day cycle training, so truckers could see what cyclists could on the borough's busiest roads.

Cllr Paul Canal who sits on the council's Cycling Liason Group said: "If every HGV driver rode a bike and every cyclist sat in the cab of a HGV lorry, deaths would decrease by 90 percent.

"Cyclists and drivers share the space and need to respect each other on the roads."

Transport for London provided Redbridge in September 2011, along with 11 other London boroughs a £250,000 grant to spend on improving cycling.

Plans have included improving cycle parking provisions by providing Snaresbrook Crown Court with 20 spaces and GP surgeries with 14 spaces between them.

One-to-one cycle training for adults has also been a hit with approximately 20 adults undertaking over 50 hous of training.

The grant will be spent over three years until March 2014.

Click here to follow the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian on Twitter

Click here to follow the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian on Facebook