A MALE cyclist was seriously injured yesterday morning.

At around 6.10am police were called to the A352 at East Stoke, near Wareham, after a cyclist, a local man in his 30s, and a vehicle collided.

Police said the cyclist, who was travelling towards Wareham, was taken to Poole Hospital with serious injuries.

The vehicle failed to stop and police are asking for any witnesses to contact them.

Also, at 8.54am, officers were called to Lindsay Road in Branksome, at its junction with St Aldhelm’s Road, after a cyclist and a car collided. Nobody was injured.

Cllr Cheryl Johnson, pictured, who is a member of Bournemouth Cycling Forum and herself a cyclist, said both motorists and riders had to take as much care as possible.

“It’s a collision and, whoever is at fault, the cyclist is going to come off worse,” she said.

The forum is next due to meet at the town hall on December 4.

Jason Falconer, who is Bournemouth’s Sustrans Bike It Officer, works to promote cycling and road safety in schools.

He was involved in a collision himself in Poole in July and is now back at work after receiving serious head injuries.

Jason said: “Sustrans are calling for 20mph speed limits in residential areas.

“The council is doing a lot of work on this as we speak, with the sustainable transport fund money.

“That’s working on a number of changes to make roads safer for people walking and cycling.

“Everybody is in such a rush at the moment to get around and we need to be looking at education. Cyclists as well need more training and to have a lot more training offered to them.