A scheme to make traffic drive under a bridge near a busy bypass junction in single file so a cycle path can be built is "ludicrous" and will cause chaos, say parish council leaders.

Rob Graham, chairman of Kingmoor Parish Council, is fighting against proposals to introduce traffic lights at the bridge in Kingmoor Road, Carlisle, next to the A689 bypass.

The plans are part of Cumbria County Council's bid to install a cycle path along a 700m stretch of Kingmoor Road, a project which could cost £344,00.

The new route, if approved at a meeting next week, would provide a link between the existing footpath and cycleway on the bypass and those in the north of the city.

But, the county council says, to accommodate the path and make it safe the road underneath the bridge will need to be reduced to one lane, with a first-come-first-served traffic light system being put in place.

It will also allow pedestrians to cross.

The plans have angered the parish council who believe the scheme will cause more harm than good.

It conducted its own survey of local residents and found that 107 people out of 109 questioned did not want single lane traffic, more than 99 per cent.

Mr Graham told The Cumberland News : "People don't think it is a good idea. There are alternative routes.

"We have no problems with the idea of a cycle path but our problem is what they are going to do with the bridge.

"Local councillors are in opposition because it is ludicrous, 99 per cent of the population don't want it.

"Without the traffic lights cars are queued up all the way back around the roundabout. This will affect everybody all the time."

Mr Graham said there was more opposition from his parish to these plans than any other project they've come across, including the nearby business park and proposed waste plant.

The plans were first mooted at a meeting of the county council's local committee for Carlisle in November. Members admitted there had been some concerns about how the new system would work.

But John Mallinson, who represents Houghton and Irthington, told the meeting he uses the road virtually every day and he saw no problems.

He said he'd noticed that traffic naturally slows down or stops to let each other through the road under the bridge anyway.

The junction onto to roundabout will be transformed to include two lanes.

James Ruddick, vice chairman of Kingmoor council, added: "If you look at traffic figures it's a very well used road.

"They had some temporary traffic lights up there recently and someone on the Belah side said they'd never seen it as busy.

"Everybody at traffic lights has to stop, it's very rare you can just drive straight through."

The parish council is unhappy that a small committee of county councillors will determine the outcome of the plans next Thursday.

They also say that so far they have been refused requests for a site visit.

A county council spokesman said: "The council is currently considering a planning application for a new shared use pedestrian and cycle link.

"The parish council has been consulted and their views will be reported to the council’s development control and regulation committee when the application is presented for determination.

"The parish council will be able to speak to the committee and present their case.

"It will be for the committee to decide whether it wishes to visit the site."