SDLP leader says she receives ‘more abuse’ as a cyclist than as a politician

SDLP leader Claire Hanna has said that she receives ‘more abuse, week-in, week-out’ as a cyclist on the roads than she does for her work as a politician, adding that more work needs to be done around drivers’ attitudes towards cyclists.

The MP for South Belfast and Mid-Down made the comments while discussing the need for more investment and prioritisation of cycling on BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra.

She called for better cycling infrastructure following the recent tragic death of 58-year-old cyclist Gary McMahon, who died after a collision with a lorry in north Belfast on Thursday.

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Ms Hanna expressed her condolences to his family and added that his death will cause concern for other cyclists in the city.

“I think it will have genuinely made a lot of cyclists and their families very, very frightened because there are pinch points in everybody’s journeys that you know are iffy, no matter how cautious or competent the cyclist,” she said.

“This will, unfortunately, deter more people.”

She said that the Belfast Cycle Network Delivery Plan, which had been introduced by then-SDLP Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, hadn’t progressed ‘anywhere near adequately’.

“Some of that, yes, is yet another cost of collapse, but it is the fact that cycling is considered an afterthought.

“There’s slithers of great infrastructure – and I know we’re probably more spoiled than others in south Belfast with the towpath, where it is a joy to commute by bicycle, as I do most days,” she said on the program.

“But it is absolutely the exception rather than the rule.”

The SDLP leader added that active travel could be a solution to Belfast’s congestion problems before going on to say that a ‘conversation about attitudes to cyclists’ was also needed.

“People talk about the abuse politicians get; I get more abuse, week-in, week-out, on my bike than I do in my work,” she said.

“I don’t know whether people are jealous that the cyclist is moving faster than them but I have taken really serious abuse from people for what they perceive as minor infractions.”

Ms Hanna was joined on the program by Alliance MLA for North Belfast Nuala McAllister, who said that the ‘tragic accident’ which involved Mr McMahon is ‘one which could have possibly been avoided’.

“It has created a lot of anger actually in the community,” she said.

“We have had years of inaction, years of empty promises.

“We even had a temporary cycle lane removed from north Belfast.”

Ms McAllister said that a move away from a ‘car-centric attitude’ was needed and that she has tabled an urgent oral question in the assembly for Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd on Monday.