Phil Botsis on the West Coast Drive recreational path. His mother was hit by a cyclist on Oceanic Drive and died.
Camera IconPhil Botsis on the West Coast Drive recreational path. His mother was hit by a cyclist on Oceanic Drive and died. Credit: Supplied/Andrew Ritchie www.communitypix.com.au d443214

Cycle speed limit touted

Kate LeaverStirling Times

The Trigg resident wears the "Please ring bell b4 passing" T-shirt when walking on the West Coast Drive recreational path and wants cyclists to slow down.

"There are a lot of old people and kids with their scooters; I see the near-misses every day," Mr Botsis said.

"Im not against cyclists, but just a good ring of the bell before you pass and pass at a decent speed."

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Mr Botsis's mother was hit by a cyclist when walking on the correct side of a shared path on Oceanic Drive.

"He hit her with so much force she was just cleaned up," he said.

"All he had to do was slow down, ring the bell and my mother would be alive today."

Mr Botsis said his mother hit her head after being struck and suffered bad bruising and a burst spleen.

"She died of an aneurysm four days later in front of my sister," he said.

Last week, the City of Stirling passed a motion with amendments by Councillor Bill Stewart that would increase efforts to implement speed control devices on the West Coast Drive path.

Cr Stewart called for the City to request legally enforceable speed limit signs of 20km/h along the path from Main Roads WA.

He said monitoring the proposed cyclist speed limit was the responsibility of the WA Police under the Traffic Act.

Police Minister Liza Harvey said she did not support enforced speed limits for cyclists and it was more about educating cyclists and pedestrians.

"Police aren't interested in policing the speed limits on dual use paths; it's just not work that we're prepared to get into," Ms Harvey said.

"It's more an education process where you have pedestrians being more aware of cyclists and cyclists being more aware of pedestrians."

A spokeswoman from the WA Police said police would not monitor the speed of cyclists on shared paths.

Cr Stewart said the number of cyclists using the West Coast Drive recreational path had increased from about 77,000 per year in 2009 to about 160,000 in 2014.