DANGEROUS cyclists are putting lives at risk because police don't have time to stop them riding on the pavement, it has been claimed.

Despite regular complaints from the public, a senior Bournemouth police officer has admitted that such offences are not a priority because they are not official Home Office performance indicators.

Inspector Neil MacBean said cycling offences do not appear in the Dorset Police control strategy either, leaving little time to deal with them.

"With respect to enforcement, this is very limited because of the need to prioritise our work," he said.

Insp MacBean made his views known to members of Bournemouth council's Environment and Economy Scrutiny Panel who had asked for information on legal powers and enforcement action against cyclists.

Cllr Robert Lawton, portfolio holder for the environment in Bournemouth, said he was disappointed that the Home Office does not place greater emphasis on cycle safety.

And shoppers in Bourne- mouth agreed.

Terry Smith, 56, from Broadstone, said: "If the police are getting these complaints from the public then why aren't they doing anything about it?"

Harriet Jones, 20, from Springbourne said: "Cyclists are definitely a nuisance, especially in the crowded town centre. The only feasible way to deal with the complaints is to try and integrate them more into the pedestrian system, like Poole has done."

Daisy Goodwin from Charminster added: "This is just typical of the way things are done in this country. If a complaint isn't part of a target that needs to be met, then issues such as this are ignored until they become an even bigger problem and a child gets knocked down or something."

Cyclist Edwin Cunion, 50, from Bournemouth, said "The issue of policing would be irrelevant if there were adequate cycle paths."