Campaigners called on their council to “do more” to encourage more people to take up cycling by making routes safer and more accessible.

David Arditti, of Brent Cycling Campaign, told a Brent Council scrutiny committee that “measures can be put in place” to make cycling in the borough more appealing.

He said the key development is to make people feel comfortable cycling – particularly those groups less inclined to do so, such as women and older people – by separating them from other forms of transport.

“About 90 per cent of the job is to reduce interactions with motor traffic,” he explained.

“We’re not talking about closing streets down completely, but measures can be put in place to reduce traffic in residential areas.

“Brent could do more on this modal filtering, it hasn’t done enough in the last ten years and it can try things that are separate from Transport for London (TFL) [plans].”

He added it is important to “get the message” out about the advantages of cycling – to health and the environment, for example – and urged the council to take a lead in this.

Councillors agreed that its strategy should include plans to “change perceptions around cycling” in Brent.

Cllr Shama Tatler, responsible for regeneration, property and planning, said there are ambitions to double the amount of people cycling regularly in the borough.

She noted the “generational” trends that have seen more young people taking it up and suggested the council could capitalise on any cycling boom following this year’s Olympic Games in a similar manner to London 2012.

But she stressed the council has a “duty” to all its residents, including older people who might like to cycle and disabled people who might require clearer, larger cycle lanes.

“We want to change the perception of cycling by making roads more appealing and improving safety in the design of cycle lanes,” she said.

“We need to make sure that our roads are safe, and they are ones that people want to go and cycle on.”