The public health of the United Kingdom is under direct attack from anti-cycling media coverage, according to Chris Boardman, the head of the government’s primary active travel organization. In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, the former Olympic cycling champion turned advocate sharply criticized misleading portrayals of cyclists that he says discourage people from choosing healthier and more sustainable modes of transportation.
“At the moment we have a very consistent, non-evidence-based, negative narrative to stop any change,” Boardman told the newspaper. “It is stopping people wanting to put their heads up and do difficult things.”
Countering a “Culture War” Against Cycling
As commissioner of Active Travel England (ATE), an agency established in 2020 to support local councils in creating well-designed walking and cycling infrastructure, Boardman has found himself at the forefront of a heated political battle. Under the government of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, ATE faced strong headwinds as Downing Street waged a “culture war” against measures to promote active travel, such as bike lanes, 20 mph speed limits, and low-traffic neighborhoods.
While this ideological conflict has eased somewhat since Labour’s election victory, Boardman said that advocating for better walking and cycling conditions remains “very politically noisy,” which can deter local politicians from taking bold action. He expressed open frustration with media coverage that paints cyclists as reckless and dangerous road users, despite statistics showing that more Britons are killed each year by cattle or lightning strikes than by bicycles.
“It needs people with courage to stand up and say: ‘This is not in the public interest. I want my kids to be able to get to school under their own steam,'” Boardman said.
Chris Boardman, Active Travel England
Active Travel as Public Health Necessity
Boardman argues that enabling more active travel is not just a transportation issue, but a critical public health necessity. The Labour government has pledged to tackle the underlying causes of preventable illnesses, including sedentary lifestyles and obesity. In Boardman’s view, changing the way people move around on a daily basis is the only realistic path to improving the nation’s health at scale.
“From a health point of view, active travel is how you reach a nation – you change the way people move around every day,” he said. “That’s the only way you’re going to really help.”
Chris Boardman, Active Travel England
Much of this effort centers around improving integration between walking, cycling, and public transport. As the former transport commissioner of Greater Manchester, Boardman helped develop the city-region’s landmark active travel network, the Bee Network. Other metropolitan mayors are now being granted similar powers to create their own integrated transport systems.
Lessons from the “Secret Squirrel Club”
In making the case for active travel, Boardman draws on lessons from his storied career in professional cycling. As a competitor, he pioneered the use of cutting-edge technologies and data analysis to maximize his speed and efficiency, an approach exemplified by his dominant victory in the opening time trial of the 1994 Tour de France.
After retiring from racing, Boardman led research and development for the British Olympic track cycling team, a clandestine project known internally as the “Secret Squirrel Club.” By meticulously studying the demands of each event rather than simply following historical precedent, Boardman and his colleagues helped usher in a new era of British cycling dominance.
“It’s the same philosophy as working in a wind tunnel with athletes,” Boardman explained. “How do you get people to want to do things differently?”
Chris Boardman, Active Travel England
Harnessing the Power of the “Public Soap Box”
Boardman’s transition from competitor to advocate began almost by accident, when he was invited to appear on the BBC’s Newsnight program during the 2012 London Olympics. Expecting to discuss the Games, he was instead confronted with loaded questions about whether cyclists should pay “road tax.”
“I started to get a bit pissed off,” Boardman recalled. “But I realized what a soap box I had.”
Since then, Boardman has skillfully leveraged his public profile and communication prowess to advance the cause of active travel, first in Manchester and now on the national stage. He has a powerful ally in Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, who has long advised ministers to take bold action on preventable diseases.
The Long Road Ahead
While the current Labour government has signaled strong support for active travel, Boardman cautions that the battle is far from over. Transforming a nation’s deeply ingrained transportation habits will require sustained investment, unwavering political commitment, and a willingness to stand up to vocal opponents.
“All I can say for sure right now is that the right conversations are happening about doing the right things, and it’s in train,” Boardman said. “But it hasn’t happened yet.”
Chris Boardman, Active Travel England
As for the naysayers in the media, Boardman has a simple message: promoting cycling is squarely in the public interest, and those who stand in the way are complicit in damaging the nation’s health. It’s a case he intends to keep making as loudly and clearly as possible, drawing on every ounce of the tenacity and focused determination that propelled him to the top step of the Olympic podium three decades ago.
“Just 211 miles from here [in the Netherlands], 66% of kids do get around under their own steam, and our children are being denied that,” Boardman said. The long road to a healthier, more active Britain may be laden with obstacles, but with champions like Chris Boardman leading the charge, there’s still cause for hope.
