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Benefits claimants should have their driving licences suspended to ease up traffic on Britain's roads, according to one Ukip candidate in the 2015 general election.

Lynton Yates, the party's hopeful in Charnwood, Leicestershire, also thinks cyclists should be forced to ride on the pavement and give way to pedestrians.

Mr Yates outlines his policies in a leaflet distributed in the area, under a heading describing them as a 'Ukip response' to traffic congestion.

The leaflet reads: "As much as I applaud cycling as a form of exercise and past-time [sic] the already congested roads cannot cope with both bus lanes AND cyclists.

"Cycles should go back to the pavements yet give priority to pedestrians."

It continues: "We could likely remove six million cars from the roads if benefits claimants were not driving. Why do they have the privilege to spend the tax payers' hard earned money on a car, when those in work are struggling to keep their own car on the road? These people really could catch a bus."

When asked how he'd implement his suggestions, Mr Yates told the Mirror taking away the driving licences of the unemployed was "a possibility."

"I'm sure people will say 'what if they've got a job interview'", he said. "Well I'm sure if you had nothing to do you could leave a bit earlier and get a bus."

(Image: Leicestershire City Council)

Asked whether he was concerned about any knock on effect such a policy might have on road tax receipts, he said: "What do you want, less cars on the road or not? Road tax is ridiculous anyway. It should have been put on fuel."

On cyclists, Mr Yates said "John Major made it unlawful to ride on the pavement. Since then the roads are twice as congested.

"It seems ludicrous to me."

The leaflet ends with the words: "Yet again we're proposing common sense policies and common sense solutions."

A Ukip spokesperson said "These are not UKIP policies and they will not form part of the UKIP manifesto."

Asked why a candidate was publishing apparently national policies in his literature, which were at odds with the party's national platform, the spokesperson gave no further comment.

Ukip's policy chief, Tim Aker, stood down last week, just six weeks before he was due to launch the party's official election platform.

Simon Sansome, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Charnwood said suspending the driving licences of the unemployed was "an absolutely idiotic idea."

According to ElectionForecast.co.uk, Mr Yates is expected to receive 12% of the vote in Charnwood.

The sitting Tory MP, Stephen Dorrell, is standing down at the 2015 election and selection for his replacement has not yet taken place.