We continue our mini-interview series with the Velo-city 2019 Keynote Speakers! #VC19Keynote #MeetTheSpeakers #CyclingForTheAges

Chris Boardman was appointed as Greater Manchester’s first ever Cycling and Walking Commissioner in July 2017 by Mayor Andy Burnham. His report, Made to Move, published in December 2017, set out a 15 step plan to transform how people get around in the city region.

He is one of the UK’s most prominent cycling and walking advocates and has been policy adviser to British Cycling since 2012. 

A former professional cyclist, Chris won a gold medal in the individual pursuit at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. He also broke the world hour record three times and has worn the yellow jersey on three separate occasions at the Tour de France.

Chris launched his own range of bikes, BOARDMAN Bikes, in 2007 and is company chairman. He also worked as Head of Research and Development for the Great Britain Cycling Team from 2004 to 2012, including at the 2008 Beijing Games where the Olympic team won eight gold medals. 

What does cycling for the ages mean to you?

The bicycle is a wonderful machine that can be different things to a person at different points in their life or even their day. It’s a vehicle to explore with, a means of getting to the shops or a device for keeping fit. As inventions go, it’s right up there with the printing press.

How will the city of the future look like taking into consideration the gaps in the developing and developed world?

The city of the future will be a lot quieter than the noisy places we have today. People will live closer together and value public space much more highly. The city of the future will prioritise people over vehicles and allocate space accordingly. 

What do you expect from Velo-city 2019 Dublin?

The Velo-city conference serves several purposes for me: it is an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others, and it is a platform to make the bicycle more visible to the world – an opportunity to show people how this simple contraption has the capability to solve many of the world’s biggest problems. I’m looking forward to hearing from a wide variety of experts to get tips and ideas on how we can enable people to realise fully the potential of the simple bicycle.

Chris Boardman is a speaker in the sixth plenary session of Velo-city 2019 Dublin, entitled “Partnership & Collaboration” to take place on Friday, June 28th 2019 at 9.00-10.00.
For more information on the Velo-city Programme, Exhibition and Registration go to: https://www.velo-city2019.com 
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