Councillor Robert Moran is calling for police to get involved in ‘bikeability’ sessions at schools in a bid to make the roads safer for those on bicycles.
He is also urging drivers to be extra careful on the roads and give cyclists more respect.
Speaking to the Telegraph, councillor Moran said: “I remember back in the day doing the cycling proficiency test.
“I feel now that cyclists are almost the enemy of car drivers.
“I cycled in Inverclyde for years and I ended up in Inverclyde Royal twice because of bad drivers.”
(Image: George Munro)
He recently raised the issue during a meeting of the council’s police and fire scrutiny panel, asking if there were education programmes in place locally for both cyclists and motorists.
Councillor Moran also made reference to the tragic death of experienced cyclist Iain McTavish on the A8 in Langbank last week as he asked about the work being done to keep bike riders safe.
He said: “I think we should be doing more in schools and for grown ups to make people more aware of cyclists on the road.
“We’ve built cycle tracks which are great, but I watched a programme about cycle lanes in Glasgow and there seems to be an anti-cycling agenda.”
Council official Tony McEwan confirmed that there was training for children in local schools, but not for adults and other groups.
Councillor Moran suggested that Police Scotland could become involved in raising awareness among drivers and supporting educational efforts.
He also called for a focus on how to make cycling safer, including the possibility of an advertising campaign.
Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Moran said drivers need to be more mindful of cyclists on the road, and pedestrians should also be more aware of cyclists on cycle tracks.
He highlighted the health benefits of cycling as another reason to support greater road safety.
Councillor Moran said he organised a group cycle from Greenock to Lunderston Bay, describing the experience as ‘fabulous’.
Chief Inspector David Doherty said he would liaise with the Community Safety Partnership in response to Councillor Moran’s request.