A CYCLIST in his twenties was airlifted to hospital following a collision with a car along a road which was described as an ‘accident waiting to happen’.

A resident who lives along the lane through Lowick Bridge, near Ulverston, said ‘everyone’ living on the road had had a ‘near miss’ while ‘walking their dogs or backing off their drives.’

He said the road was narrow and had blind bends ahead of which cyclists had the chance to pick up speed, describing it as ‘an accident waiting to happen’.

And the man, who did not wish to be named, called on cyclists to be ‘vigilant’ and ‘predominantly’ stick to roads with wider lanes.

On Sunday the fears of residents were realised when a cyclist and car were involved in a serious road traffic collision, although the exact circumstances which led to the incident are unknown.

A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 11.34am on Sunday to a road traffic collision at Lowick Bridge involving a cyclist and car.

“We sent a rapid response vehicle, an advanced paramedic, a land ambulance and air ambulance and treated a male in his twenties with major trauma injuries to his head. The patient was taken to Royal Preston Hospital via air ambulance.”

Ian Wharton, a district councillor for Broughton and Coniston who used to live by The Red Lion Inn at one end of the lane, said: “It is a dangerous bit of road with blind corners on it and it is quite narrow. But it is a country road and you can’t straighten a bit of country road and make it visible.”

Cllr Wharton was not aware of the details surrounding Sunday’s accident but said ‘one of the problems’ highlighted by locals more generally was ‘a number of cyclists travelling at speed on the road.’

“There is quite often very little room for manoeuvre on these roads and if you’re doing any speed you might not be able to see or hear any vehicles coming in the opposite direction,” he said.

He hopes to discuss improving cycle safety with cycling groups at the end of lockdown.