'There are more people killed by lightning and cows than cyclists' - Chris Boardman on proposed anti-dangerous cycling laws

Chris Boardman has pointed out that "more people are killed by lightning and cows than cyclists" as he spoke about the UK government's proposed new anti-dangerous cycling laws.

The former Olympic gold medal-winner and Hour Record holder, now National Active Travel Commissioner, said: "Everybody should obey the laws of the road, but I'm frustrated that the focus on something that is so good for society and joyous is in such a negative way."

On Wednesday, an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill was introduced, which said people who "kill or seriously injure because of dangerous cycling" could be charged with the same penalties faced by drivers and motorcyclists.

The government’s proposal creates the offence of 'causing death by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling, and causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate cycling’. 

Appearing on BBC Breakfast on Thursday, Boardman said: "My mother was crushed to death by a driver. That day, there were four other people [killed by drivers], and the day after, there was another five people, and so on. 

"Yesterday, there was a young boy killed in Birmingham while he was walking. Then there'll another four. Today, there will be another five. There are more people killed by lightning and cows than cyclists. 

"Everybody should obey the laws of the road, but I'm frustrated that the focus on something that is so good for society and joyous is in such a negative way. I'd rather be sitting here talking about how do we save five lives a day. 30,000 people are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year, and less than three of those are involving cyclists. 

"There's no question that if everyone faces penalties for their behaviour on their road and has a duty to look after others. The point is what impact will it have when its in the same realm as lightning as cows. I don't have any problem with it, but there's other things I'd like to be talking about."

He is not alone in his criticism of the government's priorities. Adam Tranter, the former Cycling and Walking Commissioner for the West Midlands, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that it was an "incredibly strange use of government time and resource given how rare it'll need to be used".

He wrote: "It is a proposal based on fear not evidence. Those working in road safety will be perplexed given England does not even have a road safety strategy (one of few developed countries not to) and many responses on topics that would save lives are still sat on ministers’ desks."

Tranter also listed things the government could do - some of which they have pledged to before - which they haven't. These include: new laws for hit and run offenders; a full review of motoring offences and penalties; a pavement parking consultation review; establishing a Road Crash Investigation Bureau; and clarifying the difference between careless and dangerous driving.

Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, wrote: "I have no problems with a law on death by dangerous cycling – everyone must obey the rules of the road. But in 2022, 1760+ people were killed on UK roads – three involved someone being hit by a bike. What’s the government plan for stopping five people being killed a day by motor vehicles?"

According to Cycling UK, "cycles are involved in just 2% of pedestrian casualties reported to and by the police. The rest, 98%, are hit by motor vehicles."

"Last night, the government announced a knee jerk plan to do part of a job badly, Duncan Dollimore, the head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said. "Ten years ago, government ministers recognised that road traffic laws weren’t effective in reducing irresponsible behaviour on our streets and promised a full review of traffic offences and penalties, which still hasn't materialised.

"Having done nothing to address these much wider problems with road traffic laws, the government wants to legislate on one piece of the puzzle without having thought through how this will work more broadly - including how it plans to deal with e-scooters and other forms of micro mobility, or what other road traffic offences need to be changed.

"If the government is serious about making our roads safer for everyone, it should revisit the wider review it promised ten years ago."