Cycling advocates have welcomed a Coroner's inquest into the deaths of eight cyclists, saying it is an opportunity for a "major re-think on road safety".
Waikato coroner Gordon Matenga will travel to four regions to hear evidence relating to the deaths, starting in Palmerston North on July 21.
Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) spokesman Patrick Morgan today said cycling was a "wonder sport and way to get from A to B" but it needed to be safer.
"The Coroner's inquest is an opportunity for a major re-think on road safety," he said.
The inquest will consider ways to reduce cycling deaths and whether any law changes were needed.
"CAN and BikeNZ are very concerned with the recent deaths. As more cyclists take to the roads it is vital that roading infrastructure, road user attitudes and cycling skills are all improved," Bike NZ chair Richard Leggat said.
"Our objective is to make the roads safer for cyclists so that more people will cycle more often."
Mr Matenga said travelling to different regions meant the cyclists' family members and witnesses could attend the inquest and allow for greater input from the cycling community.
"These deaths are an absolute tragedy and we must do everything we can to uncover any lessons or measures that can help avoid them in the future."
The inquiry was announced by Chief Coroner Judge Neil MacLean late last year.
The deaths referred to are:
* Patricia Fraser and Rex Dalzell of Palmerston North (to be heard in July);
* Kay Wolfe, Mark Ferguson and Wilhelm Muller from Waikato (to be heard in August);
* Antony Chapman and Mary-Jane Bishop of Auckland (awaiting completion of prosecution);
* Benjamin Lawless of Wellington (awaiting completion of prosecution).
Findings would be reserved until all evidence had been heard at each venue and interested parties could make submissions or give evidence on the issues of cycling safety, Mr Matenga said.
Waikato mother-of-three Mrs Wolfe, 45, Mr Ferguson, 46, and Mr Muller, 71, died in November after a car ploughed into their group, out for their usual Sunday morning ride.
Kristy King, 24, had been driving to work about 9am on November 14 when she lost control of the car on a bend, which crossed the centre line and slid sideways for about 36 metres before it hit the cyclists.
She was in February sentenced to 300 hours' community service, disqualified for driving for 12 months, and ordered to pay $30,000 to victims' families -- $10,000 each -- after earlier pleading guilty to three charges of careless driving causing death.
Ms Fraser, 34, died after being hit by a car travelling in the same direction near Palmerston North, on November 13. She and a friend were training for the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge.
British nurse Ms Bishop, 27, died in Auckland in November after swerving to avoid a car door and falling under a truck.
In the last 12 months, 11 cyclists have been killed on the roads, according to figures from the New Zealand Transport Agency.
