A CYCLIST claims he was nearly killed when he emerged from a cycle path on to a York street where traffic was travelling on the wrong side of the road.

Richard Lane said the near miss happened on Monday when he went from Tower Gardens into Tower Street, where there is only one-way traffic during footpath alterations and road repairs by City of York Council.

“I checked to my right for traffic before joining the carriageway,” he said. “Then I came face to face with oncoming traffic from my left, being directed down the wrong side of the road due to one carriageway being closed.”

He said fortunately, the lights were changing, so an oncoming 4x4 was coming to a stop, but he could otherwise have easily been killed.

The situation had been compounded by a large truck, involved in removing scaffolding from a building, which had blocked visibility.

Mr Lane, 33, from the Fishergate area, said a workman had realised the problem and warning signs were put up by the following day.

“But it is absolutely incredible that this had not been anticipated,” he said. “Reversing the flow on the northbound carriageway was planned without anyone taking any account of the cycle track that joins it half way along the stretch. The cycle track network is not being considered by the network planning engineers... Please can someone learn a lesson.”

Andy Binner, head of highways infrastructure, said the safety of residents and visitors was paramount, particularly when road works were taking place.

“Notification signs were put in place on Clifford Street and Tower Street two weeks in advance of the road works start date,” he said.

“Signs are also in place to divert traffic and advise cyclists, and in addition to this there is also a traffic management operative supervising the route advising pedestrians and cyclists of the safest route into the city centre, which is normal practice in all large road work schemes.

“The problem seems to have arisen when a lorry was unloading, which blocked part of the road. All properties were informed of the works and had been requested to change deliveries to allow for this.”