Ah, Charlotte Gill, we’ve missed you.

The GB News producer has had a pretty interesting year on the live blog when it comes to questionable anti-cycling rants.

Back in January, you may remember, Gill penned an article for the conservative magazine The Critic, criticising a recent study on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods – without actually addressing any of the study’s findings.

Instead, the article was filled with the imaginative, original mutterings of the devout anti-cycling bingo enthusiast, including timeless gems like: “All across the UK, a war is being waged against car drivers”, “a ‘Lycra Lobby’ of cycling activists and eco wonks”, “I don’t drive, enjoy cycling and probably have a relatively low carbon footprint”, “an assault on democracy”…

And then, in March, she argued on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that it’s mums who should stand up and oppose the dreaded Lycra lobby – because they can’t “cart around children” by bike, apparently – a claim swiftly shut down by Bath bicycle mayor, and bike riding carter of children, Saskia Heijltjes.

“Easily the biggest argument for the 20mph limit is around safety,” Howard wrote. “Imagine a kid runs out into the street and a driver slams on the brakes. At the point a 20mph car would have stopped, a 30mph car would still be doing 24mph.

“Estimates suggest that if all current 30mph limit roads in Wales became 20mph limits, that six to ten lives would be saved and 1,200-2,000 casualties avoided each year.

“But we don’t need to rely on estimates, there are loads of real life examples we can draw from. From 1994 there was a widespread introduction of 20mph zones in Hull, and by 2003, there were 120 zones covering 500 streets.

“In the areas with the 20mph zones there was a decrease in total accidents of 56 percent and in fatal and serious injuries of 90 percent. The biggest reductions were pedestrian casualties, which fell by 54 percent, child casualties, which dropped by 54 percent, and (I think most importantly) child pedestrian casualties, which fell by 74 percent.”

Despite Howard’s use of facts and figures to assess the need for lower speed limits of residential roads, Gill decided to criticise the soon-to-be-implemented 20mph limits in the only way she knows how: by bringing cyclists into it.

“I’ve noticed that a lot of cyclists have accidents,” she wrote in response to Howard’s thread.

“I think it’s time they all had stabilisers. It would make them and other people a lot safer. Therefore cyclists need stabilisers nationwide.

While some people tried to work out if the producer’s tweet was just another ill-fated attempt at humour (and, hey, as your resident live blogger, I’m hardly one to talk), others were scathing of the head-scratching comparison.

“I don’t think stabilisers would have helped when I was hit from behind at a red light by a taxi,” replied Matthew. “Or another time when a man in a Lexus did the same. Or when someone threw their car door open without looking and sent me to A&E.”

“1,558 deaths in 2021 from cars. 111 from cyclists. Many of which are from being hit by a vehicle,” noted Keith. “Most common cause of car accidents? Not paying attention to surroundings. Perhaps cars should have great big beanbags taped to them. It would make them and other people a lot safer.”

Climate activist Jon Burke added: “Drivers in the UK kill 100 cyclists a year. And 500 pedestrians. 20mph zones save lives, but Charlotte opposes them. LTNs are twice as effective at saving lives as 20mph zones. Charlotte opposes them, too.

Meanwhile, others were simply happy that Gill’s tweet provided her typical GB News audience with the opportunity to read Hayward’s stats-focused take on 20mph limits.

And now, as if to mark the passing of another season, Gill has been at it again, this time taking aim at the decision to lower the speed limit on most of Wales’ 30mph roads to 20mph, a reduction that will come into force next month.

The GB News producer was responding to a thread Wales Online journo Will Hayward, who outlined why he believes that the 20mph limit (link is external) is “a really good bit of policy”.