STICKING to New Year s resolutions is never easy but this year healthy commuting will be made safer and smoother as one of the capital s first cycle superhighways is about to get underway. One of two pilot routes will be launched in the borough as part

STICKING to New Year's resolutions is never easy but this year healthy commuting will be made safer and smoother as one of the capital's first cycle superhighways is about to get underway.

One of two pilot routes will be launched in the borough as part of Transport for London's drive to create a network of 12 routes in total to encourage more people to cycle to work.

Starting at Movers Lane, Barking, the highway will lead along the A13 to Limehouse and continue along Cable Street and Royal Mint Street to Tower Hill.

The new route will connect the existing ones and launch this summer.

All routes will be marked blue with a width of 1.5metres so that cyclists can overtake other cyclists without having to steer into other lanes.

A spokeswoman for TfL said: "The route from Barking to Tower Gateway has excellent cycling provision but it lacks continuity in places and is underused."

She added: "To encourage better use of the existing facilities and ensure value for money, TfL plans to connect the existing infrastructure and introduce a range of measures, including cycle training and cycle parking, to encourage an increased number of cycle journeys along this route."

The estimated cost of both pilots is �22million the second route will lead from Merton in South West London, to the City.

If the pilots are successful, ten more routes will be created across London.

Staff at TfL are also working on linking the superhighways with the Olympic Greenways in 2012.

In addition, pedestrians in central London will be able to hire 6,000 hire bikes from 400 docking stations from the summer.

For more information visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11598.aspx.