Time-trial cyclists in Staffordshire and Derbyshire are the subject of a petition that has garnered the support of an MP and over 100 signatures.

The A50 is regularly used as a competitive route in time-trials and for training runs. Though legal to ride on the stretch road, Uttoexeter resident Amanda Brooks is encouraging the Department of Transport (epetitions.direct.gov.uk) to stop cyclists using the A50 for competitions.

Two years ago a rider was involved in a fatal collision with a HGV on the road and Andrew Griffiths, Burton and Uttoexeter’s Conservative MP, has called for better signage to be introduced when races are happening.

He said: “If the road had signs saying that cycling was taking place at the very least it would warn drivers as you are driving along that all of sudden there is a large group of cyclists. You are on them very quickly and some do wobble about and the drivers have to swerve to give them plenty of space.”

Cycling Time Trials, the body that runs TTs, have reiterated that it is legal to cycle on the A50 and local cycling groups have called for careful driving to minimize the risk of accidents.