Monday 24 October 2016 12:04 pm

Jessica Ennis-Hill and Jenson Button launch campaign to encourage Londoners to use their bikes during the winter

London's cyclists were given a helping hand to brighten up on the roads as part of a new initiative supported by Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill and Formula One ace Jenson Button.

Nearly half of Londoners are put off from cycling in the dark for fear of not being seen, according to research by Santander, the current sponsor of Boris bikes.

Ennis-Hill may have hung up her spikes after announcing her retirement from professional sport earlier this month, but she is keen encourage others to get out onto the capital's roads as the dark evenings draw in.

"I’m a fan of anything safety-related that has the added benefit of encouraging people to be more active. I love the idea of more people getting out on the roads doing exercise," she said.

To combat safety concerns, Santander is piloting new laser-style technology to help cyclists to be seen. The "Blaze Laserlight" projects the image of a cycle onto the roadway six metres in front of the rider, helping drivers of vehicles become more aware of cyclists.

Joining Ennis-Hill on the sporting sidelines from next season is McLaren's Button. Although he is stepping back from the driving side of Formula One next year, he said he isn't someone who likes to take a break from cycling during the winter months.

“I spend almost as much time on a cycle as I do in a car so I know first-hand that when the nights draw in its increasingly difficult to be seen. The Blaze Laserlight is a neat piece of kit and just as beneficial to other road users as it is to cyclists," Button said.