"30,000 people are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year, less than three involving a cyclist": Chris Boardman on dangerous cycling; Netflix teases TdF series with doping question; Alaphilippe's sensational Giro win + more on the live blog

Chris Boardman was on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning to talk about the dangerous cycling story and, if we may say so, he made some extremely important and compelling points.

"I struggle with talking about it, to be honest, and I'll tell you why," the commissioner of Active Travel England began. "My mother was crushed to death by a driver a few years ago, which devastated our family, and we've not really got over it. She was one of five people to die on the roads that day. And then the next day, there was another five… there'll be another five today.

"There's over 1,700 deaths caused by, or involved in, vehicles every year, 30,000 killed or seriously injured. It's important that we say that because there are three involving, not necessarily caused by, but three or less involving a bike rider.

"And as the Secretary of State [Mark Harper] said, this is such a tiny minority. More people are killed by lightning, or cows. And that same thing [cycling] is joyous. It's good for society. And we put the focus on this minuscule, negative thing. Absolutely, everybody should obey the laws of the road. But is this really the best use of our time to be talking about this now?"

He also appeared on BBC Breakfast to make similar points...

'30,000 people are killed or seriously injured on our roads every year, less than 3 involving a cyclist'

Former Olympic cycling champion Chris Boardman spoke to #BBCBreakfast about Government plans to make causing death or serious injury by dangerous or careless cycling an… pic.twitter.com/UbbpWn1l4Q

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) May 16, 2024

On the same day Netflix unveiled the trailer for the second season of Tour de France Unchained, the friction between Soudal Quick-Step team boss Patrick Lefevere and Julian Alaphilippe apparently a major storyline, the Frenchman turned back the clock to take a solo stage win in incredibly impressive fashion.

Credit for Mirco Maestri too, the Italian joining Alaphilippe in the two-up escape, sticking with the two-time world champ until the final climb before dropping back to the chase group behind to take ninth on the stage.

The ever impressive Jhonatan Narváez beat Quinten Hermans in the sprint for second, Michael Valgren going close again with fourth. It would be rude not to defer to Eurosport's French commentary team for this one...

🇫🇷😍 Le récital de Julian Alaphilippe ! Le Français renoue avec la victoire et avec la manière sur la 12e étape du #Giro, au terme d'un numéro qui l'aura vu être en tête de la course durant 126 kilomètres ! #LesRP pic.twitter.com/gfCkeywtxR

— Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) May 16, 2024

A third win of the race for the French and a Grand Tour hat-trick completed for their favourite cycling son, Alaphilippe now having won a stage at the Giro, Tour and Vuelta. Five minutes later, the GC favourites crossed the line, with no changes there.

> "When British Cycling teamed up with Shell, many of us puked our bodies inside out": Cyclists praise climate activists’ guerilla ad campaign as Shell slams "misleading" billboards and British Cycling says partnership with oil giant makes "positive impact"

> "You're not going to legislate away these sort of incidents": Martin Porter KC on cycling and the law + cycling and mental health for Mental Health Awareness Week

> Cyclist shoved into ditch by hooded BMW passenger – spotted trying to "spook" other riders and locals – slams "complete lack of effort" by police to trace attacker

Speaking of Fabio Jakobsen, the Dutch sprinter has left the Giro this morning due to "discomfort" from the impact of a high-speed crash during yesterday's sprint. Jakobsen and teammate Tobias Lund Andresen were two of the riders affected, the team's doctor explaining that the pain is the "main factor" for Jakobsen who "suffered some scrapes and abrasions in the crash, but no fractures".

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Fabio Jakobsen (@fabiojakobsen)

Jakobsen said: "It's a shame to leave race like this. I was starting to feel better, my legs were improving, and I was looking forward to being in the fight for results with the team. I'm pretty sore after the crash so will rest up and recover before building for the next goals with the team. I wish the guys the best for the remainder of the race and I'll be cheering them on from home."

The big news that broke last night was the government agreeing to introduce tougher legislation to prosecute cyclists who kill or injure through dangerous or careless cycling. Ministers have backed Sir Iain Duncan Smith's amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill which is said to aim to ensure those riding bicycles "face the same penalties as drivers and motorcyclists" if they are responsible for death or injury through dangerous cycling.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper last week said the proposed amendment would be considered "with an open mind", the Department for Transport chief last night confirming the government's intention to move forward with the legislative change.

"Most cyclists, like most drivers, are responsible and considerate. But it's only right that the tiny minority who recklessly disregard others face the full weight of the law for doing so," he said.

"Just like car drivers who flout the law, we are backing this legislation introducing new offences around dangerous cycling. These new measures will help protect law-abiding cyclists, pedestrians, and other road users, whilst ensuring justice is done."

In the hours since there has been continued discussion on the topic, the issue having received widespread media and political attention since the bank holiday weekend when it was reported that a coroner's court had heard a cyclist who hit a pedestrian in Regent's Park would not face any charges.

Many have compared the plentiful column inches, radio rants and TV debates that have been afforded to one case of a person riding a bicycle involved in the death of a pedestrian versus the respective normalised nature of coverage of death and injuries involving a person driving a vehicle. But, the fact is, the noise has resonated with the government, who in the space of two weeks have moved from last year's position of an ongoing "review" seemingly lacking much urgency to now pressing forward with an amendment to the Criminal Justice Act. Last summer, the line from ministers was that there would be insufficient Parliamentary time to introduce legislation. Now, within 14 days things have changed.

The West Midlands' former cycling and walking commissioner, Adam Tranter, who this week resigned from his role, called dangerous cycling laws "a proposal based on fear not evidence" and suggested that while they might "sound reasonable" it is "an incredibly strange use of government time and resource given how rarely it'll need to be used".

"Every death is tragic but to put it into perspective, on average each year, more pedestrians are killed by cows than by cyclists," he said. "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."

Things that the Government could do (and have said they would do), but haven’t, instead prioritising the creation of dangerous cycling laws:

- New laws for hit and run offenders, campaigned for by @RoadPeace
- Publishing of England road safety strategy
- Undertake full review of…

— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) May 15, 2024

The Guardian's Peter Walker took to social media too, arguing that a dangerous cycling law "won't make the roads less safe".

"If you were to write a list of the best ways to actually improve road safety, it wouldn't even be on the first A4 page. It's 95 per cent displacement activity," he said. "It's mainly an example of how in political terms, salience trumps normalisation. There have been two nasty incidents in London involving cyclists in the last few weeks. On an *average single day* there are 20+ hit and run incidents in London involving motor vehicles." 

The first of those incidents also actually happened in June 2022, only being thrust into the spotlight following a Telegraph news story on the coroner's inquest, which was subsequently picked up across print and broadcast media, catching the government's attention.

Transport Secretary Harper's social media post about the move has also been flooded with comments and replies, many from cyclists questioning his attitude to other road safety issues.

Rory McCarron, a cycling lawyer at Leigh Day, said: "There have only been two fatal collisions in London where a cyclist was involved between 2020 - 2022 (last three years of available data from Stats19). This doesn't even mention who was to blame. Want to guess the total amount of fatalities on London's roads in that time?"

Are you deluded ? Think this is how to make streets safer ? pic.twitter.com/TlMX2ioRdv

— Greggs 💙 🇾🇪 🇵🇸 (@AnnGreggsRN) May 15, 2024

Many weren't particularly concerned by the idea of cyclists being subject to the same penalties as motorists, after all you can find more than a handful of old (and recent) stories from the road.cc archives along the lines of...

> "Arrogant" speeding driver with drugs and alcohol in his system avoids jail for killing cyclist, as prosecutor says incident was "just below" dangerous driving threshold

> No prison sentence for drink driver who fled scene after hitting cyclist and then kicked two police officers

> Suspended sentence for careless driver who killed two cyclists

Other comments included:

Andy Bell: "Yet again focusing on completely the wrong priorities. An absolute embarrassment of a transport secretary. Probably the worst yet and that's a pretty high bar."

Alex S: "You'd save more lives (directly and indirectly, better health etc.) by making cycling safer Mark. But that would require thought and effort, wouldn't it? And you'll be out in a few months..."

The Ranty Highwayman: "Where's the consultation results for footway parking?"

Steve Walker: "As soon as we achieve this equity between cars and bikes I look forward to drivers being hounded in the media with the same vigour for each and every incident."

Bob From Accounts: "So does this mean you'll get let off with a small fine and some community service if you kill someone?"