Last year the prime minister stood next to our Olympians, Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, and said that he wants, and I quote directly:



To kickstart a cycling revolution which would remove the barriers for a new generation of cyclists. This means a nation where cycling levels rival those in Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany.

How exciting is that, a clear unequivocal, bold, ambition, to change the way we travel in the UK. Brilliant.

Let’s just remind ourself what that looks like:

Who wouldn’t want to live in a place like that? Want their family, their children, to live in a place like that?

They’ve cracked it, a happily functioning society – with deliveries of goods and people quite able to carry out the same day-to-day activities as us.

It works. It’s there. There’s the proof. Just 250 miles from our capital. That is something worth striving for, committing to achieve.

Earlier this year, Lord Coe said that today’s children could be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents due to a lack of physical activity. This is not only bad for individuals, it’s bad for the economy. The McKinsey Global institute recently published a report showing that obesity is not only killing 37,000 people in the UK every year, when all the effects are factored in, it’s costing us almost £1bn a week.



A large part of the solution to this problem – not to mention, pollution, congestion and social issues – is glaringly, frighteningly, excitingly simple.

It’s not advising people to do more exercise or eat less food. We won’t do those things, we are short-term thinkers and lazy, we do the easiest thing for us, right now, even if we know it is to our own eventual determent. That is how we are wired.

For these problems to be solved, the solution needs to be invisible, built into our everyday lives, unnoticed.

The solution is in how we move.

In Utrecht they’ve cracked it, in the Netherlands, 30% of all journeys are by bike – more women cycle than men and 50% of school children ride to school. And they, are not only exercising, they’re laying down future habits.

What parent, if asked: “Do you want this for your children?”, would say no? Would you? What parent, if asked: “Would you pay for it, would you vote for it?”, would say no?

I know finances are tight but we aren’t talking about new money here, we’re talking about allocating a tiny fraction of the £13bn roads fund in, what evidence tells us, gives us the best return.



Last week the government’s own studies confirmed investing in cycling gives a 5:1 return. What other form of transport (bar walking) gives that kind of payback?

The bicycle, the only form of mechanised transport that provided a net gain for our society.

I am delighted that we have a draft plan today on how we are going to deliver a cycling revolution for all the societal benefits it can offer us. But I’m also worried.

Target: To double cycling, where cycling activity is measured as the estimated total number of bicycle stages made each year. So from 2% to 4%. Over 10 years.

I don’t know about you but that doesn’t feel like a revolution to me, or a significant commitment. I think we can do better.

Funding: Explore how we can achieve a minimum funding packet equivalent to £10 per person each year by 2020-21.

The good news, is these are steps, all be it small ones, in the right direction. There is a document, and it is at a draft stage.

We can choose to amend targets, maybe even make them a little scary. We can choose to allocate funding sufficient to realise that revolution, sufficient to make cycling a viable alternative for people.

And most importantly, we can choose – whilst leaving the ‘how’ up to local authorities – to make it a requirement for them to make cycling a genuine, safe option.

I’d like to just point out I drive 25,000 miles a year, my family has two cars. I’m not a fanatic, I’m not even pro-cycling. I’m pro-logic or common sense, pro-evidence.



And I’m aware how melodramatic this sounds but it is the truth when I say we have the power to change this entire nation – and with the popularity of cycling at the moment I am not exaggerating when I say you have what is likely to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change this country for the better, for us and our children.

I urge you to be bold, take courageous decisions and make cycling a viable option, the easiest option, for us and our families.

And when you look back, be proud of the decision you make.