Tories forced to apologise for 'dangerous cycling' tweet after Olympic champ fury

Emilio Casalicchio

The Conservatives were last night forced to apologise and delete a tweet about “dangerous cycling” after an Olympic gold medallist lashed out.



Pushbike star Chris Boardman branded a Tory HQ tweet lauding the new policy plan a “bad joke”.

The tweet said: “We’re launching a consultation into dangerous cycling so our most vulnerable road users are protected. We’re cracking down on dangerous cycling.”

Here's the tweet the Tories had to delete after anger from cycling champ Chris Boardman. pic.twitter.com/2tNARdxuxU — Emilio Casalicchio (@e_casalicchio) August 13, 2018

The move was prompted by the killing of 44-year-old Kim Briggs in 2016 by a bicycle courier who had a fixed gear and no front brakes.

But Mr Boardman - whose mother was killed in 2016 when she was knocked off her bike by a pickup truck - complained that the plan focused on one case while dozens of pedestrians are killed each year by cars.

He blasted: “I genuinely thought this was a bad joke, had to check it was a real account.”

I genuinely thought this was a bad joke, had to check it was a real account. @Jesse_Norman https://t.co/m4QO8229Vn — Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) August 12, 2018

But Roads Minister Jesse Norman replied: “I am delighted to say this tweet has now been taken down.

“It did not reflect either this set of policy announcements or the very careful work the Govwrnment [sic] has done to improve road safety for all users, including cyclists.

“On behalf of all involved, I would like to apologise.”

I am delighted to say this tweet has now been taken down. It did not reflect either this set of policy announcements or the very careful work the Govwrnment has done to improve road safety for all users, including cyclists. On behalf of all involved, I would like to apologise — Jesse Norman (@Jesse_Norman) August 12, 2018

The consultation will consider whether “death by dangerous cycling” or “death by careless cycling” offences should be introduced.

Cyclist Charlie Alliston was last year jailed for 18 months after killing Ms Briggs. He was cleared of manslaughter but found guilty under a Victorian-era law of causing bodily harm by “wanton or furious driving”.