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Mayor's transport czar held after hitting man in motorbike crash
Katharine Barney, City Hall Reporter24.09.09
Boris Johnson's transport adviser had an extended holiday in Georgia after police confiscated his passport.
Kulveer Ranger was taking part in a 2,500-mile motorcycle ride from London to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, and had been planning to stay in the country for a few days.
However, he was still there 10 days later after a collision with a pedestrian at the end of the charity ride.
Mr Ranger said he does not remember much of the accident in Tbilisi last month but he ended up with bruised ribs and was taken to hospital on a
stretcher. The man he collided with suffered a broken leg.
Mr Ranger was questioned by the authorities and his passport was taken after police demanded it. He then informed the British embassy that he was staying without his passport.
“It was part of the routine investigation and I willingly handed it over while I recovered and enjoyed Georgian hospitality,” he said.
Mr Ranger today described the accident as “coming out of nowhere”. He said: “[The man] was standing in the middle of the big unmarked road into then centre of Georgia's capital. I
swerved, he jumped back, and then I clipped him.
“I was worried because I was lying on the wrong side of the road and the danger was of being hit by a lorry. I managed to roll over to the side of the road.
“I don't remember much more. Someone called an ambulance, we were taken to different hospitals and the next day I went to the police station.
“I had planned to stay for a few days in Georgia anyway and that worked while the police were filing their account, but there are no charges.”
Mr Ranger, 34, was in a small group taking part last month in the ride to raise money for the Shooting Star Children's Hospice in London.
They left London on 15 August, riding through France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia and Turkey
before arriving in Georgia eight days later.
The rest of the group had flown back to England, leaving Mr Ranger with Georgian organisers of the trip.
Mr Ranger said the authorities accepted he was not to blame, but he was kept in Georgia while paperwork was processed. He was only released after a plea to the country's president by Tory Steve Norris.
Mr Norris, a former Tory MP, transport minister and mayoral candidate, called a contact in Georgia who asked its president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to allow Mr Ranger to leave the country.
Mr Ranger said he felt “deeply concerned” for the victim but said he had shaken his hand and the Georgian market trader, thought to be in his mid-forties, would make a full recovery.
He said: “We raised nearly £20,000 on the bike ride and I would hate to think that wasn't the focus. I'm still feeling a bit bruised but I really hope he's okay.
“I voluntarily took myself down to the police station but there were a lot of witnesses and anyone would tell you that I swerved to avoid him and it was a very unfortunate accident.”
The Mayor's transport adviser is on the Tory party's A-list of future candidates for Parliament.
Blow for star of Mayor's A-team
Young, dapper and well-connected, Kulveer Ranger should have been a dream appointment for City Hall.
This week it is all turning into something of a nightmare.
First he was involved in a gaffe over the delayed abolition of the congestion charge western extension. Now his enforced stay in Georgia is proving embarrassing.
It is not what the Tory A-lister is used to.
Hammersmith-born Mr Ranger, 34, graduated with honours from UCL in architecture and has a degree from Kingston Business School.
He became a management consultant and was instrumental in installing the Oyster card.
Although not always a Tory, Mr Ranger contested the safe Labour seat of Makerfield in 2005. He rose through the ranks to become party vice-chairman before Boris Johnson took him to City Hall last year.
Mr Ranger is rarely seen without an immaculate suit, except of course when in motorbike leathers. He is still on the Tory parliamentary A-list and is thought to be considering putting himself forward for a seat.
Reader views (16)
What's the carbon footprint of this fundraising event? Ironically, the kids at the hospice will never see the climate consequences, but young Mr Kulveer will. How can charities still be organising these petrol-heavy events and people still be taking part in them? The consequential eventual suffering will utterly eclipse the immediate benefit. I know someone who motorbiked through Africa for a development fundraiser - regardless of the evidence that Africa is already bearing the brunt of the anthropogenic greenhouse. A nice warm feeling indeed.
- Cyrus, London
good on the guy, yes he did something for charity... what is it with you guys trying to bring him down anyway you can?
oh no, he stopped on a double yellow! is that the best you guys can come up with, regardless of how the finances of the charity works, this is a good thing, if nothing else as free publicity for the charity..
maybe if we stopped picking apart anyone in our government that has a smidge of power, our society might actually be able to solve real problems...
you're all (and yes i'm generalising, deal with it!) hypocites to your own cause, grow a brain cell or 5 and stop looking for the negative because you want to bring someone down.. its not helping the current state of affairs..
- Bloke, london
Accidents happen every day - even to the VERY BEST of drivers.
Too bad we don't have a "delete juvenile comment" button around here..
- Trunk, US
Yes, who pays for this. On top of the cost of the bikes, it must be £200 per rider per day. Do they all pay for it themselves or does the charity pay out of the donations. What happens to the bikes as they flew back? Do they throw them away, Let's have a statement from the mayor.
- Martin, London
Hats off to him.
- Macdangler, Wimbledon SW19
And what's he doing stopped on double yellow lines for a photo op. With a copper behind him doing nothing!! One rule for them, another for us.
- Js, London
This guy is as clueless on the roads as our buffoon of a mayor is
- Keith Price, Luton England
Just another of Boris's idiots on another idiotic jolly -paid for by the public, under the pretext of charity.
- Never Eat Tuna Again, London
Obviously none of the commentators have any idea about these situations. It is fairly common for locals to create an accident situation for financial gain from a foreigner. This is why most foreign companies in these regions provide local drivers for their foreign staff. Mr Ranger will be asked to compensate the man with a few hundred dollars and his passport will be returned, the Georgian man will have earned more than a years wage by simply stepping in front of Mr Ranger.
- Dannyp, Egham
Well how can you expect progress on western c-charge when Transport Czar is on extended holiday!!!
Was he in a bus lane?
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Presumably, you've already commissioned a piece from Ken on the absurdity of having as a transport advisor a man who can't even stay upright on a motorcycle.
Talk about another Boris blunder!
- Freddo, London
Sikhs by law are exempt from wearing a helmet whilst on the Motorbike - you learn something new everyday!
- Daz Singh, Isleworth
Shame, had this accident happened in this country, Ranger would have been sued for Damages.
Obviously the Majors Own transport advisor is incapable to handling a motorbike - next time it may be better for him to ride a bicycle!
- Raminder Bhalla, Northolt
Notice he's not wearing a helmet.
- Hansel, London
perhaps a crash helmet might have helped.
- Squiz, Islington
I hope Mr Ranger recovers swiftly and can get back to work doing what's needed top help make London better.
And congratulations to him for raising so much money for charity!
- St, London
