Cyclists have reacted with fury after ministers spoke of protecting the most vulnerable road users from those on bikes. On Monday the Conservatives official Twitter account shared a photo with the caption: 'We're launching a consultation into dangerous cycling so that our most vulnerable road users are protected.'
The government are considering whether or not to introduce a new offence of 'causing death by dangerous cycling', and have launched a 12-week consultation. But Olympic hero Chris Boardman has blasted the proposals, saying they would not address the dangers of the road.
Boardman, whose own mother was killed by a truck when cycling in 2016, said he felt 'genuinely sick' after seeing the message on the official party Twitter feed. He responded to the tweet with: 'That says it all really. Wow, just wow. I genuinely thought this was a bad joke, had to check it was a real account.'
BBC radio presenter Jeremy Vine also spoke out about the Tory message.
'When I'm on a bike, I'm a vulnerable road user,' said Vine. 'In 2016 there were 1,700 road deaths; three were caused by cyclists.'
Duncan Dollimore, from Cycling UK, described the current system of prosecuting and sentencing for careless or dangerous drivers as 'something of a lottery' which leaves victims and their relatives 'feeling massively let down'.
He said: 'Adding one or two new offences specific to cyclists would be merely tinkering around the edges.'
Cycling minister Jesse Norman later apologised after the message sparked a hail of angry responses from bike-users.
Announcing that the tweet had been taken down, Mr Norman said: 'It did not reflect either this set of policy announcements or the very careful work the Government has done to improve road safety for all users, including cyclists. On behalf of all involved, I would like to apologise.'
