The father of a nine-year-old boy left with a broken collar bone after a crash on the Bath to Bristol cycle path has called for better safety measures.
Theo Delves-Broughton, was out for a ride with his dad Nic, mum Emma and sister Ava, seven, when he was involved in a collision with an adult cyclist.
His collarbone was broken when he was thrown from his bike, and now Mr Delves-Broughton has written to Sustrans calling for better safety measures.
He wants to see warning signs to encourage people to slow down and take more care on the path, and marshals at busy times.
Mr Delves-Broughton said: "It is a very popular path, especially with families with young children.
"Some cyclists go too fast, and accidents can happen.
"I want more to be done to make people slow down, more care needs to be taken on the path."
The family were out for ride on Sunday January 19 from Bath to Bitton
On the return journey they came upon two walkers who were walking two abreast along the path.
Theo, a pupil at St John's School, rang his bell and pulled out to over take them.
However another cyclist was coming too fast the other way, and collided with him.
Both were thrown from their bikes, with Theo sustaining injuries to his collarbone.
His family took him to the accident and emergency department at the Royal United Hospital, where doctors found he had broken his collarbone.
Mr Delves-Broughton said: "The other cyclist was coming way too fast for the crowed conditions on that afternoon.
" It was a terrible accident and both my son and the other rider where thrown from their bikes onto the ground.
"The other cyclist was very apologetic about it.
"If that other cyclist had hit an elderly, frail person with brittle bones the consequences could be dire and even result in a death.
"Something needs to be done to keep the speed down on this particular path.
"It is a very busy path, especially on a Sunday and it is packed with young families with learner riders, dogs, the elderly and infirm and also the idiotic who are unpredictable at best."
Sustrans area manager Jon Usher said: "The Bath to Bristol path is a shared space so it is important that cyclists and walkers follow a few basic rules to ensure that accidents like this don't happen.
"Traffic-free paths are not the place for reckless speed cycling; they cater to a variety of users by providing a safe, non-threatening environment to travel in.
"Unfortunately, a minority of people on bikes choose to speed as fast as they can on these routes, which makes them less safe for everyone else.
"We are discussing the issue with South Gloucestershire Council and the Avon & Frome Valley Partnership that manage the Railway Path to see how the code of conduct on shared paths can be more widely promoted.
"As cyclists campaign for greater respect on our roads, it's vital those of us using bicycles give respect to everyone using traffic-free paths."
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