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Sydney City Council can't enforce bicycle speed limits

SPEED limits for cyclists on share paths will not be enforceable, Sydney City Council has heard.

As the council sought to allow bikes on six footpaths, pending advice from the Roads and Maritime Services, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said her council could erect "advisory signs".

"This is something that is evolving, it is new to Sydney," Ms Moore said.

"This is why we do education. It's a significant transport option. We want to ensure the environment is safe. That 7 per cent of people (from a council survey) who don't feel safe, I understand that is a perception thing."

Liberal councillor Edward Mandla said he called for Sydney City to take leadership on share path speed limits months ago.

"We learnt the speed limit on share paths is the same as the road, 40km or 50km an hour. We found 50 per cent of users felt unsafe. Once councillors realise there is a risk, we have to act toward that risk and mitigate that risk," he said.

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But Councillor Jenny Green said a council survey showed only seven per cent of pedestrians felt unsafe, and most felt safe or very safe on a share path.

"The majority of riders are respectful when they use share pathways," she said.

"Every time I have been on a shared pathway, as a cyclist or a pedestrian, people are very considerate. You don't have a perfect world. There has been a huge uptake in cyclists on the street."

Independent Angela Vithoulkas said share zones had "serious safety consequences".

"It is the mothers with prams, small children and elderly people who cannot go as fast as a bike. Why would we have four staff who go out to mediate the relationships with share paths. Obviously it is a problem," she said.

A spokesman for the RMS said the government was examining speed limits on share paths.