The Greens say there's no reason the Government couldn't make roads safer for cyclists right now, instead of waiting for the completion of a year-long investigation.
MP Julie Anne Genter has a Bill in the ballot that would force motorists to give cyclists – or "people on bikes", as she prefers to call them – at least a metre of space when passing, and 1.5m on roads where the speed limit is above 60km/h.
The Government is considering similar changes, but Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss says no decision will be made until the middle of next year, after it has taken a look at the "more complex" issues.
But with a dozen cyclists killed on New Zealand roads in the past two years, Ms Genter says there's no reason to wait.
"I don't know why it's going to take so long. There's nothing to investigate," she said on the Paul Henry programme this morning.
"I talk to people all the time in Auckland who say they'd love to use their bicycle to get around – they don't feel safe. We don't have the infrastructure and the laws to make them safe."
While the Road Code says to "allow at least 1.5 metres between you and the cyclist", it's not set in law.
"At the moment the road environment is incredibly inhospitable to people who are trying to get around on a bike," says Ms Genter.
"Having a mandatory minimum passing distance would just bring us up to speed with most other countries around the world."
Another of the Cycling Safety Panel's recommendations released this week is to equip trucks with side-skirting to prevent cyclists sliding or being sucked under.
It's compulsory in the European Union, but the Road Transport Forum – which represents the commercial road freight industry – doesn't think it'll work.
"There's no evidence that they are effective, and they can be very problematic," says Ken Shirley.
"Obviously you couldn't install them for log trucks, working in the bush and on skid sites. You may well find if we go down that path there will be all sorts of exemptions for good, practical reasons."
Ms Genter says just because they work in Europe doesn't necessarily mean they'll function under New Zealand conditions.
"I think it's something that needs to be investigated, but obviously fitting out every truck with a new skirt could be costly."
But studies have shown side-skirts can improve a truck's fuel efficiency by making them more aerodynamic.
In the decade up until 2012, one-third of all cyclist road deaths involved trucks.
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