CONSERVATIVE party leader David Cameron donned a blue safety helmet and peddled his way along a new cycle path in Southampton during an election visit yesterday.

He had ditched his suit from Prime Minister's Questions earlier in the day in favour of casual slacks, a short-sleeved shirt and green-laced "Worn Again" trainers.

Arriving to gathered supporters and council candidates in Bassett alongside prospective Romsey MP Caroline Nokes, he proclaimed that the new £150,000 cycle route from the University of Southampton Science Park in Chilworth was a "smooth ride".

Mr Cameron wasted no time in promoting his local election campaign pledge to crack down on "grime and crime" and said that a Tory vote would be for a "cleaner, greener and safer" city council that would tackle antisocial and anti-environmental behaviour.

He pointed out that top-performing environmental councils were Conservative-led.

Mr Cameron shied away from forecasting a Conservative victory on deadlocked Southampton City Council, where the Tories hold one third of the seats.

"We hope to make good progress," he said. "We've gone from a very low base to having 16 councillors. We are looking to make gains."

Hitting back at spin and party re-spray jibes from Labour Cabinet minister Peter Hain in the Daily Echo yesterday, Mr Cameron said that the Labour party had lost its way and that the would-be deputy PM had been saying "all sorts of strange things".