Police fear that a proposed law that would require motorists to give bicycle riders at least a one-metre buffer when overtaking would increase the risk of death and serious injury on the road, while being virtually impossible to enforce.

The minimum passing distance law, being pushed by the Victorian Greens, was also coolly received by VicRoads and the Transport Accident Commission due to a lack of hard evidence that it would make the roads safer.

The TAC's senior manager of road safety, Samantha Cockfield​, also argued that compelling motorists to give cyclists a one-metre buffer when overtaking would increase tension on the road.

"The biggest concern for us all is that introducing a law where people can't always easily comply may bring about more tension in a system where there is a lot of tension already between motorists and cyclists," Ms Cockfield said.