Lightning and cows are more deadly than “killer cyclists,” says Olympic champion Chris Boardman

Olympic cycling champion Chris Boardman became emotional on Thursday as he sharply criticised the Government’s plans to tackle “killer cyclists”, stressing that more people are being killed by lightning strikes and cows every year.

Mr Boardman, who owns his own brand of bicycles, said ministers had barely discussed the fact that, on average, five people are killed on the roads by motorists every day.

“To be honest, it’s hard for me to talk about it and I’ll tell you why. My mother was crushed to death by a car driver a few years ago and it devastated our family and we’re still not over it,” the 1992 Olympian said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“She was one of five people who died on the roads that day. And the next day there were five more… and today there will be five more,” added Boardman, who was appointed the government’s National Active Travel Commissioner in 2022 and is also chairman of Sport England.

“Every year there are over 1,700 deaths caused or involved by vehicles, 30,000 are killed or seriously injured. It’s important that we say this because it’s three accidents involving a cyclist, not necessarily caused by them, but three or less.”

Mr Boardman insisted: “And as Foreign Minister Mark Harper said, it’s a tiny minority. More people are killed by lightning or by cows. And that’s exactly what (cycling) is fun. It’s good for society. And we’re focusing on that tiny, negative thing.

“Of course everyone should obey the traffic rules. But is now really the best time to talk about it?”

In the UK, an average of two people are killed by lightning strikes each year, according to official statistics, while panicked cows were responsible for 32 deaths between 2018 and 2022.

Cyclists who cause a death through dangerous cycling could face up to 14 years in prison after the House of Commons approved an amendment creating three new offences on Wednesday.

Mr Harper said the government would incorporate the change into a criminal justice reform bill currently being considered in Parliament and vowed to ensure “justice is done” after several deaths in recent years allegedly caused by speeding or reckless cyclists.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa), an average of two people have been killed by cyclists each year over the past five years. In addition, around 400 pedestrians are killed by other road users each year.

“While we encourage debate about how to make our roads safer, it is important not to look at cycling offences in isolation,” Steve Cole, director of policy, campaigns and public affairs at Rospa, told the Standard.

“The right legal framework and the prosecution of lawbreakers are a crucial contribution to safety on our roads, but they are only a last resort,” he said.

“The Government must prioritise the publication of its long overdue road safety framework so that we can develop a clear, integrated approach to road safety that puts the health and wellbeing of all road users at its heart – including drivers and cyclists.”

Lucy Straker, campaigns manager at road safety charity Brake, agreed with the accusation that the government is failing to tackle the rising number of road deaths.

She told the Standard: “Five people die on our roads every day. One of the main causes of this is speeding or driving too fast for the road conditions – and yet we talk about a ‘war on drivers’ rather than a plan to make people safer on the roads.”

“As the Government is keen to support this new legislation, it may also wish to honour its commitment to publish a new road safety strategy – which it has committed to in 2021 – and which we are still waiting for in 2024.”

Duncan Dollimore, campaign director at Cycling UK, said: “It is clear that there is still work to be done to make our roads safer for everyone, but if we only tinker around the edges of reform, we will be adding new offences to existing road traffic laws that are already dysfunctional.

“We need what the Government promised ten years ago: a thorough review of road traffic laws and penalties,” he said. “Better road traffic laws will help make our roads safer for all communities. It is time the Government responded to our constant calls for a comprehensive review.”