SCORES of cyclists will travel to Bestival tomorrow along Bournemouth’s promenade, where cycling is currently banned.

The festival’s Bike to Bestival project will see some 70 riders and 20 marshals travel the 25 miles from Bournemouth to the event in Lulworth, setting off at midday, with breaks at Bournemouth Pier, the chain ferry and at Corfe Castle.

Several concerned readers contacted the Echo about the proposal. One, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The council are allowing the Bike to Bestival event to take place on the seafront during the cycling ban.

“Hundreds of cyclists will ride along promenade in the middle of the day even though there is a ban in place.”

However Bournemouth council has agreed to relax the prohibition while the charity event takes place, saying a risk assessment has revealed no concerns and the event chimes with the borough’s own aspiration to encourage “sustainable travel”.

Councillor Pat Oakley, cabinet member for tourism and leisure, said there were no general plans to remove the ban on cycling on the prom in July and August.

However he said the event’s fundraising for suicide charity CALM “is a good cause and if the council can help by bending the rules we will”.

“Bournemouth council and the Borough of Poole are supporting this initiative by Bestival as it promotes the concept of sustainable travel,” he said.

“This is an organised event which has been properly risk assessed and allows a convoy of approximately 68 participating cyclists to travel at slow speed along the promenade, starting from Boscombe going through to Sandbanks.

“The convoy will dismount and walk in highly congested areas and all cyclists will be wearing high vis jackets and will be escorted by 20 Marshalls, a ratio of around three to one.”

Cllr Oakley recently dismissed a proposal for a cycle lane along the promenade, saying it would “exacerbate” conflict between cyclists and pedestrians, and the current arrangement “generally works well”.

Bike to Bestival riders pay £50 and must raise £200 for CALM or the Bristol Bike Project to take part, and receive a free ticket to the festival.

Bestival says it raised £12,589 for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust via the ride last year, and with increased demand it has now introduced a 100 mile ‘pro’ ride from Bristol.

Its website says: “We’ve once again teamed up with our good friends at (Southbourne cycle shop) Velo Domestique to put on the ride.

"This ride will set off around midday, accompanied by a team of skilled marshals, who will keep all riders on track and ensure everyone safely arrives at Bestival.”