My father, Keith, is 86 years old and walking short distances is a bit of a struggle. But what he can do is ride his bike, as he has done all his life. Having given up his car, the bike is his only means of transport and his independence to get to the shops, cafes and train stations. I can't imagine what he would do if he couldn't ride a bike.
So a few weeks ago I was outraged to see some in the media continuing their relentless campaign against cyclists, accusing them of “turning roads into death traps,” when in reality they pose a less lethal threat than lightning or cows, while over 1,700 people are killed by cars every year.
In 2016, my mother, Keith's life partner, was crushed to death by an illegal driver. A vibrant older woman who was extremely healthy thanks to her passion, taken from this world. If that's possible, what makes this even more horrifying is that she was one of five people who died on our roads that day. Five mothers, sons and daughters are killed every day without making national news or raising any calls for law change.
It is a great disservice to people like my father and the vast majority of cyclists that such uniformly negative, data-poor and demonstrably false accusations continue unchallenged.
You will find that those who incite hatred offer no solutions and do not take responsibility for their actions.
Whether we're commuting to work, visiting friends, or taking our kids to school, we all need safe spaces, and actively excluding cyclists makes it harder to provide them. This is especially true in cities, where traffic is high and space is at a premium.
This may seem like a niche topic, unrelated to most of our lives, but unfortunately it's not – this is a very big issue, and it's personally costly.
Politicians, whether local or national, must choose their battles carefully: knowing they would face a storm of criticism if they made it easier for people to cycle or use wheelchairs to get to school, many politicians will not act or even show support.
As a result, we remain locked into the status quo, into unmeasured choices that literally kill tens of thousands of people a year from physical inactivity alone. We are robbing our children of both health and a sustainable future.
At a time when there is a desperate need to decarbonize, improve public health, and ensure affordable transportation options for everyone, we cannot tolerate this kind of relentlessly antagonistic rhetoric.
You will come to realise that those who stoke hatred do not offer solutions, do not take responsibility for their actions, they simply spread hate (excuse the pun).
So I will speak out for my father and his children, for what will lead to a better life for them, and I hope others will join me in finding the courage to speak out for their families' futures.
Our city would be a better place if we stopped persecuting the vulnerable, whether they walk, use a wheelchair or ride a bike, and instead focused on ensuring everyone has the choice to be a little more Keith-like.
Chris Boardman is the National Active Travel Commissioner.
