MOTORISTS have been warned they will be risking a parking ticket if they continue to park in the cycle lane on Richmond Hill.

Photographs taken by the Echo show how the cycle lane on the northbound side of the road is currently being abused, with motorists parking on the cycle lane outside Nationwide, on the pavement and jutting out into the road.

The pictures - which were taken over a 10 minute period at 5pm on Friday - show half-a-dozen vehicles pulling into the cycle lane while they wait for their passengers.

At one point a cyclist is forced to navigate around the cars and back onto the cycle lane and then can be seen squeezing past a taxi which is parked over half of the designated lane.

Cars parking in the cycle lane can also be seen causing traffic problems on the road as cars try to pass around them.

When one of the motorists was asked why they were parked in a cycle lane they told the Echo that they didn't realise it was for cyclists and that they couldn't pull in there.

The segregated cycle lanes, which were part of a £384,000 scheme to improve the entrance into the town centre, were installed back in 2015.

Since then they have been constantly abused by some drivers who use them as a parking layby.

Bournemouth Council says wardens patrol the area and have the power to issue tickets to anyone blocking the cycle lane - but claim that they have received no complaints about the issue.

Richard Pearson, road safety manager at Bournemouth council, said: “The council’s civil enforcement team visit the location several times daily and take appropriate action as it is an immediate offence to stop in a mandatory cycle lane.

"We would appreciate the public’s co-operation in keeping the lane free."

The cycle lane scheme was part of the government-funded Three Towns Travel project, which also included new pedestrian crossing facilities, new trees and seating areas, new cycle stands, the introduction of a 20mph zone, a new loading bay in St Stephen’s Road and a new loading bay outside Richmond House.