MANY weird and wonderful bikes helped out at the launch of a new Hampshire cycle way which aims to get more people cycling to work.

The National Cycle Network Route Two was opened along Weston Shore in Southampton, enabling cyclists to travel from West Wood near Netley to Woolston and then on into the centre of town along a dedicated cycle route.

Costing £44,000, the new mile-long Route Two stretches from West Wood to Weston Point and is the first project to be completed in the £1.2m Weston Shore regeneration project, which includes safer crossing points and traffic calming along Weston Parade.

Later this year it is hoped to extend the route down to the Hamble and on to Fareham, if planning permission is granted.

The route was officially opened by Councillor Jill Baston, the new Cabinet member, for environment and transport as part of this week's Southampton City Get Cycling Festival.

She said: "This is about reminding people that bikes are there.

"I think a lot more people could cycle to work than perhaps they realise. There is going to be a gridlock problem if transport continues to grow the way it is.

"If we want the problem solved we have to tackle it now."

A seven-seater inward facing conference bicycle, a four-seater bicycle chariot and a reclining bicycle were just many of the different bikes available to try out at a cycle roadshow to accompany the opening of the route.

Malcolm Moore, manager of the Weston Shore improvements programme, said the bike route was something that local people wanted together with measures taken to reduce speeding and the safer crossing points along Weston Parade.