Walkers and cyclists in Oxford have been left confused after workers painted bike signs on a pavement in Botley Road.

Oxford city councillor Susanna Pressel had campaigned for more road markings to be painted on the road and cycle ways along the busy road to make drivers more aware of cyclists.

And she contacted Oxfordshire County Council highways department, workers put in signs - but painted cycle markings on the pavement instead of the cycle lane.

Ms Pressel said: "Basically they have painted some very stupid road markings and put in a 'cyclists must give way' marking on a footway, so everybody is very puzzled and confused.

"Some of the many people who use West Oxford Community Centre have been worried about the safety of people cycling into the town who are behind stationary buses as they approach the centre.

"The centre committee asked me to approach the county council to ask them to do something about this dangerous position and when I spoke to them for the second time, they came along on Friday and painted these road markings."

There have been a number of accidents involving cyclists in Botley Road, near Roger Dudman Way, near the railway bridge, and the cycle lane was last year painted red to draw attention to the fact that cyclists could be passing.

The new markings include a 'keep clear' box on the road and 'give way' signs. But Ms Pressel said there was also a large bicycle painted on the pavement, next to the cycle way, telling cyclists to give way to oncoming traffic.

Ms Pressel said: "The people who did it seem to have got confused. Any 'give way' sign should have been on that cycle track but it wasn't. It was on the completely separate footpath.

"It looks as though the county council is trying to encourage people to cycle on the pavement which is the last thing we all want so it's just very annoying."

Council senior technician Peter Brice said: "The 'give way' markings in Botley Road were a well-intentioned move to keep cyclists and motorists apart. The cycle lane is on the footway at this point and crosses the access into the West Oxford Community Centre.

"However, the markings seem to have stirred up opposition so we will have them removed."