CYCLISTS are being urged to ride just to the left of the line in cycle lanes to cut down on the number of dangerous close shaves by over-taking vehicles.

The advice has come from Oxfordshire County Council’s cycle champion Suzanne Bartington.

She said: “Cycling to the line has a two-fold benefit.

“Cyclists avoid hazards like drain covers that might cause a wobble and motorists are more likely to give them a wider berth.”

Dr Bartington, county councillor for Witney North and East, also welcomed advice from the fire service for drivers to ensure cyclists were safe by leaving a 1.5m gap when they passed by.

Oxford-based cycling campaign group Cyclox said it welcomed the call for drivers to give cyclists more room but could not back Dr Bartington’s call for cyclists to ride close to the cycle lane line because the varied quality of cycle lane surfaces meant this would not always be possible.

Cyclox spokesman Simon Hunt said: “Cycle lanes that are painted on the road vary greatly according to local circumstances – widths; potholes; uneven-ness – so no recommendation can reliably be given about where to position your bike within a lane.”

He added that Cyclox supported the Close Pass campaign by Thames Valley Police and the council’s road safety team, highlighting the existing Highway Code 1.5m rule.

Mr Hunt said: “This states that drivers deciding whether to pass someone who’s on a cycle, whether or not they’re in a cycle lane, should always leave a gap of at least 1.5 metres – 5ft.

“If motorists knew and obeyed this rule properly, cycle users, and potential cycle users who are too afraid, would fear much less about their safety.”

Dr Bartington added that research showed cyclists in Oxford experienced a ‘close pass’ for every 12 miles travelled.

She said:"This chimes with national figures of a close pass for every hour of cycling, regardless of whether riders are wearing high-visibility clothing.”

She also acknowledged that varying qualities of cycle lanes meant that cyclists would not always be able to adhere to her advice.

Andy Ford, road safety manager at the county council’s Fire and Rescue Service said: “Cyclists have as much right to be on the road as cars and to travel safely. The key piece of guidance about passing cyclists is you should give them at least as much room as you would do when overtaking a car. At a minimum, the passing space needed is 1.5 metres.”

Thames Valley Police plain clothes officers on cycles are continuing to monitor ‘close passers’ and will pull over drivers who get too close.