A frightening accident on her bike prompted Zdenka Rosolova to launch a campaign to get a road made safer for cyclists.

She was hit by the wing mirror of a passing vehicle and was flung from her bike as she cycled to work at Broughton Hall along the A59 about a year ago.

Thanks to the 31-year-old’s persistence, North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to alter a small section of road layout and allow cyclists to use some of the pavement approaching Broughton Hall from Skipton.

Zdenka, a keen cyclist who competes in triathlons, said: “I was cycling along thinking about Christmas and what I was to bake for my colleagues when the next thing I knew I was on the floor.

“I was wearing all the proper lights and hi-vis clothes, but still the driver hit me with his wing mirror at full speed.

“Luckily, I fell into the ditch and not into the road where I could have been run over. I was not seriously hurt but very shocked.

“The driver stopped immediately and drove me to work at Broughton Hall and the accident was reported to the police.

“It was a very frightening experience so I was determined to try to get something done about it because a lot of people cycle along there to work.”

When she told people of her intention, they were sceptical the county council would do anything about it.

“After nearly a year of communication and emailing, they promised to implement the changes. I was amazed,” she said.

Now as a big thank you, Zdenka, of Skipton, is to bake a cake for highways staff at county hall. “Being from the Czech Republic, it’ll possibly be chocolate sponge and spicy,” she said.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: “There is a short length of the A59 on the approach to the Broughton Hall turning where there is no ‘metre strip’ of tarmac behind the white edge line.

“We are going to build a short length of cycle track on the verge, about 20 metres long and one metre wide, so that cyclists can keep out of the line of traffic.”