A DEFIANT cyclist says he has no choice but to break the law by riding on the pavement or risk his life on increasingly busy roads.

Albert Howard, 85, who lives in the Amelia Blackwell residential home, in First Avenue, Canvey, relies on his bike to get out and about three or four times a week.

However, after two accidents left him lying on the ground, he no longer has the confidence to jostle with the traffic on the congested roads around his home.

Speaking after Castle Point Council and police announced new powers for traffic wardens and street scene officers to issue tickets for offences such as riding on public footpaths, the former Ford worker said: "It is all very well cracking down on people who ride on pavements, but it is murder crossing Link Road or riding on it now.

"I have been hit twice. The first time I was knocked off and grazed my arm and the car just drove on. The second time I hurt my elbow.

"The road is too narrow for a cycle lane so I don't know what I can do. I either have to break the law and risk getting fined or risk my life and I am not prepared to do that."

Ray Howard, county and borough councillor for Canvey West, defended the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme, which allows certain council employees who have undergone special training to take the details of trouble-makers, confiscate drugs or alcohol or issue fixed penalty tickets to bikers on footpaths.

Mr Howard said it would help in the fight against antisocial behaviour and added: "We are not the enforcing authority and I would hope that we would have some discretion and flexibility."