COUNCIL leaders have been urged by Bournemouth MP Tobias Ellwood to take up the "fantastic opportunity" to create a cycle highway across the town.

The government has announced £2billion is available for councils to invest in their transport network, with particular focus on supporting safer cycling and walking.

New guidance issued to local authorities instructs them to reallocate road space to cyclists and pedestrians.

Mr Ellwood is calling on BCP Council to put forward its case for an arterial cycle and pedestrian route in Bournemouth.

The Bournemouth East MP suggested the possibility of using the cliff top road to facilitate this.

"We need to temporarily adapt and the surge in the use of cycles is a positive thing," said Mr Ellwood.

"To encourage this further I think we should absolutely look to creating the cycle highways you get in other countries and to some degree in London.

"Having a north-south or east-west arterial route, which is pedestrianised and for cycles, would be a welcome step forward."

Mr Ellwood described the cycle network in the conurbation as "very disparate", with no application providing details on where cycle lanes are and how they link up across the conurbation.

He said, apart from the challenges of coronavirus, cycle infrastructure should be a priority for the council.

"With £2billion to be bid for, this is a fantastic opportunity for us deliver long-term change," said Mr Ellwood.

"We need to culturally encourage more people to make the switch to using bikes, but I perfectly understand a parent being hesitant in allowing their child to cycle to school when you cross so many roads or you are dealing with cars alongside you."

He added: "There are now large sums of money available from the government. We are in a strong position to get in a bid early to make this happen and further to that also participate in the pilot schemes for electrified scooters and bikes, as well.

"There is no doubt all councils are under huge financial pressure, therefore, we can only embark on these schemes if we benefit from the government grants.

"I do hope we can expedite efforts to place our bid in early."

Councillor Andy Hadley, BCP Council cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said the council welcomed the additional investment in more sustainable transport measures from the government.

"We await further information from government on how that funding will be allocated so that we can use this opportunity to progress our plans to open up walking and cycling facilities more quickly than we had previously been able to," said Cllr Hadley.

"We are pleased to hear that this will not need a time consuming bidding process, so we can focus on working with communities and our local MPs .”