Fears have been raised over the safety of pedestrians on a new £300,000 cycleway project, with residents worried there could be a serious accident.

Marlow Bottom resident John Prosser is worried the new path to link Marlow with Marlow Bottom, - which runs right outside his house - could create more danger than it prevents.

It comes as this week as former Marlow mayor Derek Done said action needs to be taken on the "growing problem" of cyclists riding on pavements elsewhere in town.

With the shared cycle route currently still under construction, Mr Prosser is concerned there will be confusion on the shared surface and that pedestrians could be at greater risk.

And with his young granddaughter visiting regularly, the resident wants to know what the council is doing to prevent people being hurt as cyclists race along the stretch.

He said: "I’m interested to know just how safe it’s going to be.

"It looks extremely dangerous having a cycleway on a footpath. We are going to have cyclists whizzing along outside our house and we are concerned about it.

"I just think it shouldn’t be on the footpath at all. It will be very busy with the cycle path, it will be ridiculously dangerous.

"How do we know when it officially starts and becomes legal? It seems dangerous, that is the worry, especially with cyclists coming down the hill at speed."

After months of work, the latest phase between Wycombe Road and Marlow Bottom is nearly complete.

The cycleway is intended to provide a safe route for cyclists heading to Great Marlow School, the town centre and Burford School.

Despite fears over the shared space, Transport for Buckinghamshire insist the route has been deemed safe.

Although currently a strip of black tarmac, the council has reassured residents that line markings and signage will make it clearer and safer for both cyclists and those on foot.

TfB spokesman Dan Elworthy said: "This cycleway is an extension to the existing shared route from Bobmore Lane.

"The route and design was approved by the Transportation Cabinet Member after a public consultation was undertaken.

"All shared use paths being implemented in Bucks are between 2.5m and 3m wide, as far as possible, with appropriate signage and lining, red surfacing is used at junctions and across wide accesses.

"Safety Audits are carried out at feasibility stage, detailed design and on completion."

As well as a new path, the pedestrian crossing on Wycombe Road was upgraded to a Toucan cycle crossing at the end of January to allow cyclists to cross safely.

Initial funding for the £300,000 project has been secured through developer contributions, via partnership working between Wycombe District Council and Buckinghamshire County Council.