‘PLEASE light up your bikes and stay safe on the roads.’

Those are the words of the former Mayor of Burnham and Highbridge, Cllr Michael Clarke, who is urging young people to stay safe on the roads as he claims he has seen a number of children cycling with no lights on around Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge.

Cllr Clarke said he is concerned newsagents are not checking young people’s bikes to ensure they have the correct safety gear before they go on their paper rounds and said he thinks Somerset County Council needs to launch more campaigns to educate young people on road safety.

He said: “I am worried that young people are cycling in the darkness with no reflective clothing and no lights on.

“I have seen young people cycling in the dark with no lights on and no reflective clothing on when they go on their paper rounds first thing in the morning.

“I know from experience how car users don’t always see cyclists and I am concerned for young cyclists’ safety.

“The combination of dark clothing and no lights is a disaster in the making.

“I know Avon and Somerset Police and Somerset County Council have done big campaigns to promote road safety in the past but they seem to have fizzled out.

“It would be nice to see them do more to promote road safety.

“I would tell parents to encourage their children to please light up their bikes and stay safe on the roads

“If young people keep cycling around with no lights on it will not be long until there is an accident.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council, said cycle safety is a key area for the council’s road safety team and the council ‘actively promotes’ road safety to road users.

The spokesman said: “The use of bike lights is obviously a legal requirement and therefore the concerned councillor could raise this with the police to see if they can offer some resources.

“There is no law around the use of cycle helmets or high visibility clothing, but we encourage parents to do their bit by teaching their children to act appropriately whilst cycling.

“We also run Bikeability training courses in local schools to give children the skills and knowledge they need to cycle safely.”