A cycling instructor is urging people in the East End, no matter how long you’ve been biking, to take up free cycle training.

Jenny, aged 57, left her job as office manager to train as a cyclist instructor a year-and-half and is now working full time for boroughs across south east London, including Tower Hamlets.

The mother and grandmother said: “What really got me into cycling was a Charity bike ride I did in South Africa for people with spinal injuries in 2003. After that, I got hooked and have cycled all the time.”

The training is delivered in three levels with the first session generally checking bike control skills, how to indicate and learning how to conduct a basic journey.

The first level is conducted in a quiet place away from traffic and preferably in a park.

The second level builds up to quieter roads where trainees are taken through starting and stopping skills on roads.

The final level takes trainees to busier roads to learn how to navigate through heavy traffic, big roundabouts, and traffic lights,

Jenny has had a mix of trainees wanting to brush-up their skills for leisure cycling, as well as commuting to school or work, while others do it to keep fit.

“I had one guy who had done a lot of cycling but wanted to make sure he was cycling in the right way. Another lady came for training because she and her friends were going on a cycling holiday in Spain and needed to boost her confidence.

“No matter how much one has cycled, there is always something new to learn. You also gain a lot if you are not a driver because the training improves your road sense.”

Trainees are advised to ride assertively, away from the gutter, dress visibly and be aware of the drivers blind spot around lorries and buses.

To Register your interest visit www.tfl.gov.uk/cycling or to for cycle guides www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11682.aspx