Great Divide ride in Barnet on 25 March to highlight how major roads can split communities

London Cycling Campaign (LCC) is urging cyclists to join a ‘Great Divide’ ride a week on Sunday, organised by its branch in the Borough of Barnet, which aims to underline how local communities can become divided by major roads – in this case, the A406, better known as the North Circular.

The ride, which starts at 10am on Sunday 25 March from New Southgate tube station, will be marshalled, also backs LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign. Full details are available on the Barnet Cycling Campaign website.

It will cross the North Circular a number of times to highlight how the road effectively splits the borough in two, presenting “a formidable barrier” to those who want to travel by bike there, as the following video from Barnet Cycling Campaign shows.

David Shannon, Barnet Cycling Campaign co-ordinator commented: "Many people already commute by bike across the A406, but so many more would if these junctions were made safe for cyclists.

"Our 12-mile marshalled ride will allow people to experience in safety the appalling lack of provision for locals and visitors trying to cycle across this vast highway, including the mayor's inadequate redesign of Henlys Corner,” he continued.

"It seems that little has been learned since the construction of Staples Corner nearly 60 years ago, with the final design of Henlys Corner not even following the simple recommendations for cyclists in TfL's own Safety Audit."

Mike Cavenett of LCC added: "The borough of Barnet is a shocking warning to all Londoners of what the capital could look like if Transport for London and local councils prioritise motor vehicle flows above the needs of all other road users."

The Great Divide ride, which will finish with a picnic in the “secret park” in the middle of the Staples Corner roundabout, follows other high-profile protest rides held in London in recent months including those at Blackfriars Bridge and, more recently, Parliament Square.

Meanwhile, LCC is holding the ‘Big Ride’ on Saturday 28 April in support of the Love London, Go Dutch campaign and ahead of the mayoral election a few days later on 3 May.