As more people take to cycling and collisions with pedestrians increase, the transport ministry is looking at supporting municipalities' efforts to build additional dedicated lanes.

The ministry said it will set up a panel of experts Friday to examine the best way to promote cycling safety and will draft new measures by next summer.

The officials believe new lanes will keep cyclists away from pedestrians, who often don't see or hear them approaching. In 2012 there were 2,625 reported collisions with pedestrians, a one-third increase over the 1,966 incidents reported a decade earlier.