CAMPAIGNERS have hit out over the condition of the road surface on a busy city centre bridge - branding it "lethal" for cyclists.

The say the road surface on Lendal Bridge in York is 'folding into the footpath' - narrowing the part of the road that can be safely used by people on bikes, while also causing a tripping hazard for pedestrians.

But City of York Council yesterday said urgent localised repairs, including Lendal Bridge, will begin on Sunday.

Kate Ravilious, co-chair of York Cycle Campaign, said: “Lendal bridge is just one of thousands of road margins in York that are lethal to cyclists. It is dangerous to leave the road in this condition, particularly for people riding trikes or cargo cycles because they are more susceptible to being unbalanced by uneven surfaces.

 York Press: The road on Lendal Ridge, outside Museum Gardens, is folding into the footpath

"On a busy road like Lendal Bridge this could easily result in someone falling off into the path of a vehicle.

“We believe that the council should be fixing dangerous road margins like this promptly, and in the meantime cordon off the area, just as they would if it presented a danger to motorists.”

Lendal Bridge was last resurfaced in 2010.

James Gilchrist, director of transport, environment and planning at the council, said: “The condition of all York’s roads is assessed regularly, annually and monthly, and repair work is carried out based on this assessment, which adheres to national best practice guidelines.

“Each year our teams are responsible for thousands of repairs, along with significant projects to proactively improve roads and paths, preventing issues developing later on.

“The council takes every step necessary to ensure problem areas are identified and repairs are carried out as quickly as possible.”