A PEMBROKESHIRE cycle business boss is calling for caution and courtesy on county roads from riders and motorists.

Jon Mills of Tenby Cycles says that both bike-riders and drivers are taking risks when out and about in Pembrokeshire.

“Every cycle ride I’ve been on this year in Tenby and other parts of Pembrokeshire has involved a near miss or a close call with traffic,” he said this week.

“Nearly every day, someone will call in and say they have either been knocked off or clipped by a vehicle, or had a very near miss.”

In a popular post on Facebook, Mr Mills claimed: “Pembrokeshire is by far the worst area I’ve cycled for these incidents.

“This has got far worse in the past two to three years and seems to coincide with the increase in events, although this is no excuse for reckless driving.”

He felt that large cycling events – such as this weekend’s Wales Sportive, which is part of the Long Course Weekend – should have closed roads.

Mr Mills criticised “some idiot cyclists” on the roads year-round.

“They are the few that spoil it for the rest of us,” he commented.

“Normally the ones who are going for a time, racing, training for an event or Strava chasers.

“They are the ones who wait for no-one and can cycle where the hell they want on the roads – two, three, four, abreast or even chatting on a mobile.”

But he reminded drivers of recent high-profile cases over the past two years, with the people involved being “lucky to be alive” and asked; “What part of a driver’s mind thinks it’s ok to try to, or actually hit someone off the road.”

And he urged: “Careful drivers need to report dangerous cyclists and careful cyclists the same with dangerous drivers.

“Anyone on a mobile phone – motorist or cyclist – needs to be reported.

“It seems if you are on your own, you are more at risk – either from being hit by a vehicle or verbally abused, or worse, by the driver.

“Safer in numbers, it seems, which is a shame.

“All I know is it puts me off doing something I enjoy.”