Laws should be developed using evidence not headlines, says Boardman

Laws should be developed using evidence not headlines, says Boardman

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Following Transport Minister Jesse Norman’s announcement of an urgent review into cycle safety, British Cycling policy advisor, Chris Boardman said: “It is thankfully incredibly rare for a cyclist to be involved in the fatality of a pedestrian, with two people dying a year on average.

“When compared to more than 400 pedestrian fatalities involving motor vehicles, it’s very clear where time and resource should be focused if the government is genuinely interested in safety. 

“Whilst my own experience means I can empathise with Matt Briggs and his family more than anyone, laws should be developed using evidence not headlines, focusing proportionately on those with the ability to cause most harm. I’m all for tougher penalties if they lead to actual reduction in casualties on the road. Using the government’s own figures from their press release, it is clear a focus on cycling will not achieve this.

“Following the case against Charlie Alliston, British Cycling wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport to call for a full review of how the justice system deals with road collisions and victims and we welcome moves to implement this review.”

The review comes after the death of Kim Briggs who was hit by cyclist, Charlie Alliston, when crossing the road in February last year. Alliston was sentenced to 18 months in a young offender institution this week after being convicted of causing bodily harm by ‘wanton or furious driving’. 

Transport Minister Norman, said: “Although the UK has some of the safest roads in the world we are always looking to make them safer.

“It’s great that cycling has become so popular in recent years but we need to make sure that our road safety rules keep pace with this change.

“We already have strict laws that ensure that drivers who put people’s lives at risk are punished but, given recent cases, it is only right for us to look at whether dangerous cyclists should face the same consequences.

“We’ve seen the devastation that reckless cycling and driving can cause and this review will help safeguard both Britain’s cyclists and those who share the roads with them.”

Read more information about the government’s review