Chris Boardman to lead new walking and cycling body in England

Former Olympic cycling champion vows to take back streets from motor traffic as head of Active Travel England

Former Olympic champion Chris Boardman has promised to take England's streets back from motor traffic after being given a powerful new official role which will see councils rated, Ofsted-style, for how well they make space for cycling and walking.

Boardman, who won gold in the velodrome at the 1992 Games and raced in the Tour de France, has been named as the first head of Active Travel England (ATE), which will hand out funding for cycling and walking schemes and oversee designs.