Should cyclists be allowed on footpaths?

Melbourne cyclists are mounting a new bid to be allowed to ride on footpaths.

But opponents are outraged, saying it is an accident waiting to happen.

Kate Begley is legally blind and relies on walking to get around.

With a vision impairment, she finds cyclists hurtling down the street very stressful.

“I have a really shallow depth of field, so a cyclist coming along really very quickly, jumps out at me, and it’s very alarming and very anxiety-inducing,” Ms Begley told 7 News.

Victoria is the only state that does not allow riders over the age of 12 on footpaths unless they have a medical certificate.

And now cycling advocacy group Bicycle Network is ramping up pressure to open those paths to everyone.

“What footpath riding allows is people of all ages just to jump on the footpath when they might feel a little bit nervous or where that bike infrastructure doesn’t exist,” Anthea Hargreaves, from the Bicycle Network, said.

But a new study has found cyclists are not actually safer off the road.

“Footpaths are really narrow, they’re about 1.2 metres wide, they’ve got overhanging branches, potholes, trip hazards. They’re not designed for cycling,” Dr Ben Rossiter, from Victoria Walks, said.

Walking groups say while they understand the risks faced by cyclists on busy roads, they believe sharing a footpath would put them in more danger.

And for the elderly, it could strip them of their independence.

“Around 40 per cent of older people actually express that they’re anxious on shared pathways,” Donna Swan, from Council on the Ageing, said.

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A consequence they might have to live with if the rules are changed.

“It appears that cyclists want everything, want roads, they want their own lanes and now they want footpaths,” Dr Rossiter said.