Chris Boardman has spoken out in response to an answer the Transport Secretary gave to a fellow MP when he said that 'cyclists aren't road users', and has invited the Chris Grayling on a bike ride.
Grayling, who had already drawn scorn from cyclists after footage emerged showing him dooring a rider, was responding to a question from Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner.
'I was wondering if he could clarify for the house exactly who he thinks road users are?' Zeichner asked Grayling during a questions session in the House of Commons.
To which Grayling answered: 'Where you have cycle lanes, cyclists are the users of cycle lanes and the road users are the users of the road. It’s very simple.'
In response to this, Boardman - policy adviser to British Cycling - said: 'The Transport Secretary’s comments demonstrate an astonishing lack of knowledge about how seven million people regularly use the roads in this country.
'I feel embarrassed for him. If he truly thinks the roads are not for cyclists then what am I paying my taxes for?'
The MP for Epsom and Ewell has previously stated that cycle lanes 'cause too much of a problem for road users.'
The issue of cycle lanes was addressed in Boardman's response: 'The minister should also know that segregated cycle lanes of sufficient quality are incredibly rare in Britain.
'In fact, it’s going to be impossible to meet government targets on a diminishing budget of less than £1 per head. This is in stark contrast to the Netherlands and Denmark where more than £20 per head is spent.”
The Olympic gold medallist turn campaigner then went on to invite the Transport Secretary out for a ride with him.
'If there was ever anyone who needed to actually get on a bike and hear about the true state of cycling infrastructure, it is Chris Grayling and I’d be delighted to go on a ride with him.'
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons