This extraordinary picture shows the moment a Canterbury bus driver angrily confronted a cyclist who claimed he had been forced off the road.

Stunned passengers looked on as the driver ranted and flicked V-signs from the cab of the double decker as it sat in the bus stop outside St Dunstan’s Church.

Cyclist Graham Cuthbert was shocked to be on the receiving end of the abuse and formally complained to bus firm Stagecoach.

Moments earlier the 59-year-old claims he had been overtaken by a bus travelling north when it veered towards the kerb and forced him to take evasive action.

Mr Cuthbert says he only avoided serious injury by riding onto the pavement and jumping off the bike.

The incident happened on October 16 last year, but Mr Cuthbert has only now decided to release the photograph – alongside a call for bus drivers to take more care around cyclists.

He said: “I was fortunate in being fully mobile and quite fit, but someone less agile than me could have been killed or seriously injured.

“To have such abuse from the bus driver was shocking to me.

“I was annoyed about the driver’s behaviour. I complained to Stagecoach, but they did not seem interested.”

Mr Cuthbert remonstrated with the driver and began taking photographs when he says the man began swearing at him.

Stagecoach says the driver is no longer employed by the company.

Mr Cuthbert and wife Liz, 55, who own and run Palace Farm in Doddington, are regular leisure cyclists.

They want more to be done to ensure their safety on Canterbury’s roads.

“I know a lot of cyclists who are afraid to ride their bikes because of the attitude of bus drivers,” Mr Cuthbert said.

“I think bus drivers should be far more aware of cyclists, but I also think that Canterbury City Council should do more to create safe cycle routes.

"I know a lot of cyclists who are afraid to ride their bikes because of the attitude of bus drivers..." - cyclist Graham Cuthbert

“The problem is that people use cars too much because there are not enough cycle routes and because public transport is so expensive.”

Mr Cuthbert reported the incident to both Stagecoach and the police.

Stagecoach spokesman Rebecca Day said: “Safety is our highest priority and we take any reports of incidents involving our buses extremely seriously.

“We investigated the matter immediately and responded to Mr Cuthbert directly.”

The company added that the driver no longer works for Stagecoach, but refused to confirm whether his departure was linked to the incident in St Dunstan’s Street.

Police said the incident had been reported to them, but that they did not take any action.