A CAMPAIGN to make motorists more aware of cyclists and give them more room is taking root in Dorchester.

After some tragic incidents on the roads around the county town that have had fatal consequences, calls are going out to car drivers to pay more attention to cyclists.

Primary school headteacher Paul Miller was tragically killed in a collision between the Weirs roundabout and Loders Garage on the B3147 last month.

His death came just weeks after Tony McDermott also died in a collision on a nearby stretch of road between the Weirs roundabout and Monkeys Jump roundabout.

In response to the recent tragedy Darren Matthews from Poundbury Cyclesport has been keen to promote signs used on the continent that advise motorists to give cyclists 1.5metres of room on the roads.

He said the signs are in place on the roads in Provence in France when he has gone cycling there and are also being promoted by Spanish cycling firm Orbea.

Town councillor David Taylor said he is keen to get behind the signs and will take the campaign as high as he can and would even like to see government adopt the 1.5m rule as a law.

He said: “As we know in Dorchester and the surrounding area we have seen the loss of cyclists on the roads and it’s also become a national issue.

“If we were to bring this into law it would start to save cyclists and protect them – distance is the key.

“When you are driving a car you are driving a two tonne missile and that missile will kill.”

Matthew Merritt was knocked off his bike in December just 200m from where Mr McDermott had been killed a couple of weeks earlier.

He added: “Only last week I was also forced off the road between Winterborne Monkton and the Relied Road, it’s not good at all.”

Mr Matthews stressed that not all drivers showed a lack of awareness for cyclists.

He said: “There are good drivers but there is a lack of respect from some people.

“Just slow down for a moment and give us a bit of a chance.”

Mr Matthews added that, while he welcomed the new cycle routes that had been added around Weymouth and other parts of Dorset, there was also a need to make sure existing cycle routes are well maintained to encourage cyclists to use them rather than the roads.

Heidi Gould, also from Poundbury Cyclesport, admitted that not all cyclists were ‘perfect’ but the key was all road users showing each other more respect.

She said: “Everybody needs to be a lot more tolerant of each other.”