CYCLISTS have been drawing attention to "dangerous" new and planned cycle lanes around Poole.

New lanes around Bournemouth University have puzzled some cyclists, with one short section appearing to take riders straight into a lamp post.

Another dissolves into nothing before merging with traffic on a bend, described by the former president of Bournemouth Cycle Forum Mike Chalkley as "ridiculous".

Meanwhile Borough of Poole's resurfacing of Alder Road, which began on Monday, is due to be accompanied by new advisory cycling lanes, described by cycling trainer and campaigner Jason Falconer as "the worst piece of cycling infra since the Ringwood road 1970s stuff".

Mr Falconer said: "They just want it to look like they are doing something there.

"Large vehicles will have to drive in the cycle lane there, and the lanes will not continue over the junction where the road widens, it is really dangerous.

"It will put unskilled riders, the majority, at more risk than they are at present."

He said the council should ignore Alder Road for cycle routes, as it does not have the money for proper improvements, and "focus on what it can do elsewhere, like improving the old cycle lanes around Canford Way".

Poole council traffic manager Richard Pincroft said a final decision had yet to be made as a road safety audit is currently under way.

"The council is currently considering whether to install cycle lanes on some uphill sections of Alder Road," he said

"The objective of the lanes would be to allow cyclists to maintain momentum with more confidence on uphill gradients, to encourage lower vehicle speeds, to allocate space for cyclists to legitimise the undertaking of slow-moving traffic (particularly on the approaches to junctions) and to raise the profile of cyclists along this route."

Work to create a new link road from the Boundary roundabout to the university campus finished earlier this month, carried out by the university on behalf of Borough of Poole.

The institution says the 'road to nowhere' cycle lane is part of a crossing which has yet to be completely marked out due to the rainy weather.

"The cycle route here is designed as a stopping point for less confident cyclists, so they are able to dismount before crossing the road," a spokesman said.

"A green crossing will be provided shortly when weather permits, as illustrated in the associated plan.

"We hope this, as a part of the extension of Gillett Road, will be a real asset to the community and improve transport routes in the area."

Mr Chalkley said: "The design as it stands is absolutely appalling, I thought this road was finished. If they were going to put a crossing in, why hadn't they done it already."

He said the merger lane in Wallisdown Road, heading westwards out of the Boundary roundabout, was "quite a dangerous piece of infrastructure".

"Imagine a child cycling along there, that has to be the measure of cycling infrastructure," he said.