Chris Boardman says it’s “ridiculous” for government to continue building roads

Another 10-15 years and over 50% of the population will be clinically obese. The government have the power to act and address this issue by funding and promoting cycling to make it safe and enjoyable for all. The government, like every one before it will never act until its too late, then they'll have to spend billions more trying to rectify their lack of action now.

I walked into my opticians for an eye check up a couple of weeks ago. It was busy. All 14 waiting chairs were occupied. Ages from a girl aged about 18 to a pensioner in his 60's. Every single one of them was horribly overweight, I kid you not.

That was shocking and its not until you see something like that that you realise this country has a big obesity problem. We see an overweight person so horribly fat that they can't walk and we chuck a mobility scooter at them rather than prescribing an exercise program and advice on portion control.

CB has it right.

He's not arguing against road infrastructure or even motorised traffic - it doesn't have to be one or the other, although thats a frequently used argument by people running out of well reasoned ones.

Boardman for Prime Minister!

Getting a bit carried away here aren't we?

If we need to answer the question 'does the country benefit economically from having a road network' stop for a moment and think what our economy would look like without it. Points of reference would include those countries without one such as large parts of Africa, the less developed parts of Asia, etc etc.

Not many people there buying hipster fixies, dutch bikes or custom hand built 953 steel frames are there?

As it happens I agree with the sentiments of Sir Chris in respect of re-prioritising road space in urban areas but let's not go down the 'what have the Romans ever done for us' pathway with such enthusiasm. Although they did kick off the road network...

No matter how strong the rationale, voices of reason even CB's are seen as a bit bonkers.

"The real hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. "Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human voice has been silenced so early in their lives, that they do not even struggle or suffer or develop symptoms as the neurotic does." They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word; they are normal only in relation to a profoundly abnormal society. Their perfect adjustment to that abnormal society is a measure of their mental sickness. These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted.”

Pretty difficult to compete with the car and finance marketing machinery telling you what you want is a car, you want it on finance and you want it now and anything else is abnormal especially when those industries have government in their pockets.

Good Luck Chris but I would prefer it he played his cards quietly and sought real power first.

It's great that Mr Boardman says things like this, but the question is, who is listening?

Can Chris be the next Mayor of London? A bit of a commute from the Wirral....

One day a week will do, he'll serve us better than Boris.

CB always makes sense with these statements.

The other problem (aside from goverment policy being influenced by big business) if that society at large has been conditioned to accept the status quo. Tell the average person in the street (or in their car) that you've covered 30 miles on you bike by way of a daily commute and they'll look at you like you are mad. Come the colder/wetter months most people will be surpised that you've even taken the bike out of the shed.

vat on shoes, vat on cars, which makes more sense to promote if you want money? Then there Is VED, fuel duty, etc etc. Then throw in some more money for the construction industry and the vat they pay.

So what do pedestrians provide?

He's right, but until the cycle manufacturers can match the construction and motor industries in offering jollies, freebies and cushy jobs for ex MPs and civil servants nothing will change