THE Council for the Preservation of Rural England says the proposed Wye Valley Cycleway is "a step too far" and would have a massive detrimental impact on the area.
At the height of the season the council says 500 cyclists an hour would be passing through the valley ruining its tranquil setting and endangering its wildlife and landscape value.
Urging people to oppose the plan by writing to the AONB office at Hadnock Road, Monmouth, Anne Prufer, chairman of the Forest of Dean District of the council, said members had nothing against cycling or cyclists but thought it wrong to route them through the middle of a beautiful valley.
"A better solution would be the 'quiet lanes' advocated by CPRE – this could be introduced within the AONB whereby many roads and lanes could be speed-restricted and made safer for cyclists," she said.
The CPRE says the valley is a place of enormous conservation importance totally unsuitable for the project which would involve building a three-metre wide roadway from Hereford to Chepstow at a cost of £5.8 million.
"There has been an immense outpouring of concern by both local residents and conservation societies who realise the detrimental impact this will have on the area," said Anne Prufer.