A cyclist involved in a collision which left him badly injured has raised concerns about the lack of safe cycle routes.

Brian Rapley, who suffered two broken vertebrae after colliding with a car said there are no continuous, dedicated paths into Gravesend town centre.

The 65-year-old regularly cycles from his home in Northfleet, using available cycle routes.

But he is concerned that as work gets under way on a cycle hub at Gravesend railway station – designed to encourage more people to give up their cars – none of the major roads into town have a single stretch of cycle path.

Mr Rapley said: “I cannot get into Gravesend on any road, whether it’s Milton Road, the Overcliffe, Pelham Road or Darnley Road, leading into the town centre on a safe, continuous cycle path, not one.

“The one that runs from Thong Lane (along Rochester Road) ends at St John’s school, but when you need it, it’s gone.

“They are going to build this great, big, super cycle hub and you haven’t got a means to get there safely on a cycle path.

“Is Gravesham council going to consider making some cycleways leading into town?”

The station hub, which will accommodate more than 250 bikes, is being provided by train company Southeastern and is due to be completed this summer. It will include a secure compound, CCTV cameras and lighting.

Mr Rapley said it was while recovering at his home in Hillary Avenue from his accident that he realised the problem.

The retired Burroughs Wellcome employee came off his bike in February at the junction of Darnley Road, Dashwood Road and Old Road West. He was in hospital for 10 days and left facing the prospect of wearing a body brace for three months.

He said: “I have had an accident because I was doing what I’m supposed to do. I was not on the footpath, I was on the road and following the traffic. Now they are building this cycle hub, it’s made me think. How do I get there?”

The hub at Gravesend is part of a nationwide £14.5 million government funding scheme to improve such facilities at railway stations.

Less than two years ago Gravesham council, whose share of the pot is a little over £684,000, laid out its plans to improve public transport, including cycling provision, in its Local Plan Core Strategy.

A Gravesham council spokeswoman said: “Technical work is being done on cycle routes in Gravesend which will need to be considered, along with other transport issues, in due course.”

She added maintenance of existing cycle paths was a matter for the Highway Authority, Kent County Council.