A CYCLIST was left shaken and hurt after she was knocked off her bike in a hit and run on Friday night.
A 63-year-old woman was riding along Prestbury Road towards Cheltenham town centre when she was hit by a small red car coming out of Priors Road shortly before 10pm.
The driver of the car slowed down but failed to stop after the incident.
The woman suffered grazes to her legs and bruises to her arms.
The junction where the incident happened is split in two, with a triangular one-way system in place.
Councillor Les Godwin (Prestbury, PAB) said he was "surprised" by the incident because of how wide the Priors Road junction is.
He said: "I am rather surprised by this because the junction at Priors Road is probably one of the widest in Cheltenham and it has an in and an out with two separate entrances.
"Just further up the road, a few hundred yards, away is a busier multi-junction. Even that one, with all of its complications, doesn't generate accidents.
"Over recent years, the People Against Bureaucracy (PAB) group has asked for and achieved road improvements with weight restriction notices, slow signs and things like that being put up in Prestbury.
"Right next to that Priors Road junction is a pedestrian crossing which is a reminder, even if no one is using it, that pedestrians could be crossing the road. "This must be the first time ever I have heard of something like this happening for that bit of road."
Councillor Malcolm Stennett (Prestbury, PAB) said: "I think this poor lady was probably very unfortunate to have this happen to her because things like this don't tend to happen along there.
"Generally speaking, Prestbury Road is pretty safe. It is well used by cyclists and it is ideal for them because it is fairly flat but the cyclists obviously need to ensure they are well visible at night.
"Too often we see cyclists who are not."
The incident happened days before National Road Safety Week, which starts today.
Witnesses of the crash should call police on 101, quoting incident 479 of November 16.