Two years ago, Oxfordshire County Council agreed to improve the provision for cyclists in the design of the Frideswide Square roundabouts. Last week the county finally came up with a design – two vague areas where you will be permitted to cycle on the pavement, but no way of avoiding the roundabouts.

This is ludicrously inadequate. Mini-roundabouts are not cycle-friendly, because there is too much going on. Even if everyone is going slowly, it’s just too stressful, too many movements cutting across, and too easy for someone to make a mistake.

International best practice for busy major junctions is to provide a defined cycle lane or track at conflict points, so that everyone is clear where the cyclists will go, and to separate cyclists from other vehicle conflicts by a few metres, to make sure cyclists are visible.

With a £5 million budget, and 5,000 square metres of space, there is no reason not to provide safe cycle lanes. The county urgently needs to revise its design to incorporate them. Nothing less should be acceptable.

Richard Mann Oatlands Road Oxford

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