Alarm is spreading among Mertons cyclists that a decision to vastly reduce funding for cycle lanes could leave them on the road to nowhere.

GLA quango Transport for London (TfL) is to cut funding for each boroughs cycle schemes from £7.5 million to just £2 million for the next financial year putting the future of cycle routes under serious threat, according to the GLA Green group.

The decision has angered members of the London Cycling Network who say it will seriously affect completion of the cycle lanes by 2004 and compromise safety. Protesters met London Assembly green party member Jenny Jones at the site of an unfinished lane in Raynes Park to express their concerns.

TfL denies funding cuts, saying it has set aside £22 million in the year 2002/3 for walking and cycling schemes across the capital.

But it admits there is no specific allocation for cycle lanes and says following objections it is having a re-think.