Video: Cycle Safety in the City - Boris Johnson's call for people to get onto their bikes to travel to work

Jill Greenfield and forensic investigator Mark Crouch discuss the safety implications of Boris Johnson's call for people to get onto their bikes to travel to work.

Despite the promised £2b government package, their concerns are that London's roads are generally not ready for thousands of cyclists to get their bikes out of the shed and head off to work unprepared.

Mark prioritises simple things like making sure your brakes and tyres are in working order, that you have batteries for your lights, that you wear bright colours and cut down any distractions such as ear phones. Most importantly, plan your route so you're confident where you're going.

Jill would like HGVs to be banned in the City, at least for the time being, as has happened in Paris, because a big percentage of serious and often fatal cycling collisions involve HGVs. As Mark says, HGV drivers simply can't see you, particularly if you're dressed in dark colours. Jill also suggests planning a route where you avoid well known danger spots, such as big roundabouts. Mark's view is to prepare how to navigate them. Generally, cycling collisions are not the fault of cyclists so it's vital to be constantly aware of what other road users are doing and are about to do.

Message is: keep your wits about you to avoid any slight misjudgement that can cause catastrophic consequences.