A new cycle lane could be extended as part of £2.1 million plans to improve road safety.

A year after the dedicated “European-style” route was opened in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, Brighton and Hove City Council is set to ask locals about extending it to Nevill Road.

To pay for the work along the 0.9km stretch, the local authority has bid for £1.4 million from the Government.

It claims the scheme, which has cross-party support and works out at about £2,300 a metre, will mean people will be offered “genuine choice”.

Pete West, chairman of the council’s environment committee, said: “This would contribute to the core network of cycle and pedestrian routes we are setting up across the city.

“By reallocating some space to these lanes we have made cycling and walking safer and more attractive especially to younger and inexperienced riders.

“The existing lane has made Old Shoreham Road more pleasant, cut speeding by cars overtaking and improved the environment.”

The initial cycle lane in Old Shoreham Road opened in June 2012.

Figures produced by the local authority claim that bike use in the area has increased by nearly 40% to 440 cycles on a weekday.

The council adds the proportion of journeys to schools on two wheels has doubled.

'Logical'

The new proposed lane west of The Drive is for a continuation of the existing 2km route.

It will include a new wide cycle lane with raised kerbs to separate bikes from cars, improvements to major junctions and new pedestrian crossings.

If approved at a town hall meeting on Tuesday, a consultation on the scheme will take place later this year and construction could take place between March and July.

Conservative councillor Graham Cox described it as “the next logical step in making cycling safer in our city”.

He added: “This scheme should also give us an opportunity to improve the awful junction at Sackville Road, which is bad for everybody including motorists and buses.”

Labour councillor Gill Mitchell said: “I know it’s controversial but I hope it goes ahead.

“We’re fully supportive as this phase two work will improve a number of junctions where there’s high pedestrian usage.”

The council is expected to hear back on the government bid in the coming days.

If successful, it will need to allocate £700,000 of its own funding towards the plan.

It marks the resurrection of a scheme which was shelved by the previous Conservative administration at a cost of £90,000.

This was despite two-thirds of people responding to a consultation in 2009 supporting a cycle lane along the road.