CYCLIST Gordon Bridewell has condemned as dangerous the new cycle path in London Road, Devizes, after being clipped twice by a car and a lorry while riding along it.

Mr Bridewell's fears were echoed this week by Wiltshire county councillor Tony Molland who said it was the most dangerous layout he had seen.

The cycle path, which opened last month, and was part of a £500,000 scheme, is partly on the newly-widened pavement but one section shares the road.

Mr Bridewell, of Woodland Way, Devizes, has used the cycle path all the way along London Road, but has had near misses with a both lorry and a car while riding on the designated green cycleway on the road in the past two weeks.

Mr Bridewell, 56, said: "The lorry was too close to me when I was in the cycle lane. It was so close I could feel the wind of the lorry and it clipped my jacket.

"A car also clipped me as it came by. Luckily I was able to get on to the pavement on both occasions.

"It's so dangerous. Cars and lorries are not taking any notice of it. Most motorists are driving with two wheels in the cycle lane.

"I have seen so many near accidents on it. Someone is going to get badly hurt on it sooner or later.

"I don't think it has made it any better for cyclists. In fact I think it has made it worse, and I think it would be better if it wasn't there."

Mr Bridewell, a motor vehicle technician, said the design of the cycle path is baffling cyclists.

He said: "The problem is it goes for so far on the road, and then it disappears on to the pavement. The road is narrower in places and the green stuff that marks the cycle track on the road is bumpy and it throws you all over the place."

Concerns about the footpath were raised by councillors at a meeting of the Devizes Community Area Forum on Monday. Coun Molland, who represents Avon and Cannings, said he had seen a near miss involving a cyclist in London Road.

He said: "Two articulated lorries were travelling in opposite directions on London Road and there wasn't enough room for them to pass by. As one of the lorries was trying to get by, it passed a cyclist who was forced on to the kerb.

"There is no white line down the middle of the road and it's the most dangerous situation I have come across."

Town and district councillor Ray Taylor, himself a cyclist, broadly welcomed the cycle path but said there should be better signposting.

"I felt less confident using London Road before because there wasn't a dedicated space for cyclists. More cyclists seem to be using London Road now."

The Gazette spoke to five cyclists using the cycle path on Tuesday.

One thought it was a waste of money, one said it was dangerous, and three others thought it was a good idea in principle, but felt improvements should be made to the green surface, and better signposting should be put up.

A Wiltshire County Council spokesman said it would monitor the situation. He said where the road had been narrowed it was of adequate width for the cycle path and for cars.

He said there was no intention to paint a central white line in the 30 mph zone. "We find it slows the traffic down in the restricted zone."