Updated 6.30pm - Added National Youth Council statement

A white bicycle memorial has been set up at the Kappara junction spot where cyclist Zoran Pavlovic was killed last Friday.

The memorial bicycle, which in cycling circles is known as a ghost bike, comes as the world marks World Bicycle Day on Sunday.

53-year-old Mr Pavlovic lost his life in an early morning collision with a motorist, in an accident which Malta’s cycling lobby have linked to poorly-designed roads which make little or no provision for cyclists.

Ghost bikes are memorials set up along roadsides where cyclists have been killed or badly injured in a collision with motorists. They are intended to honour the memory of cycling accident victims while reminding vehicle drivers to be considerate of cyclists.

To mark World Bicycle Day, local cycling enthusiasts got together to pedal the 18km between Mosta and Msida and back on Sunday.

As cyclists passed the spot where Friday's fateful incident occurred, they stopped to pay their respects and lay flowers at the ghost bike set up to honour Mr Pavlovic’s memory.

In a statement issued on Sunday evening, the Maltese National Youth Council added its voice to calls for roads to include more cycling lanes and safety provisions for bicycle riders. 

"Efforts to reduce traffic and personal car use by promoting different modes of transport are futile if the correct safety precautions are not in place," the KNŻ said. 

"We call on the relevant authorities see that better and safer cycle lanes for roads are in place to be shared by all."

Flowers adorn a 'ghost bike' placed at the accident spot. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli