Boardman shows path to break cycle of Manchester’s car commuter hell | Tanya Aldred
13 January 2019 09:00
The former Olympic champion hopes to win a different race, all for the public good and improving transport options for allIt is a Sherlock Holmes evening in south Manchester. There is a deep fog on an already black night, perfect for tail-coated villains to dart between the wheelie bins. But in a primary school hall the lights are on and a public meeting is taking place about a proposed local cycle route. There are a couple of councillors, engineers, 180 or so members of the public – the irate and the enthusiastic – and a world-record breaking and Olympic winning cyclist: Chris Boardman.The microphone does not work, there are tetchy complaints about a phone vote and low-level tension plonks down in the corner. Boardman, here in his role as Manchester’s cycling and walking tsar seems unfazed. He perches on the table, sticks a hand in his pocket and starts to speak. He is confident, blunt – and hackles visibly settle. Related: How millennials have put a spoke in the wheels of Britain’s bicycle shops The bike is a simple, cheap solution to so many of the problems we face, so why the hell aren't we doing it? Continue readingread full article
