British Cycling announces £900,000 of funding for three cycle training facilities

British Cycling has announced that it is to provide £900,000 in funding for cycle training facilities in Leicester, Hull and Reading. Work is to begin in coming months and it is hoped all three will be open in 2017.

The projects are two new closed-road circuits in Leicester and Hull as well as refurbishment of Palmer Park Velodrome in Reading.

John Mills, British Cycling’s director of coaching, education and development, said:

“We are delighted to be able to award this money to three very worthwhile projects.

"Working in conjunction with local authorities and other partner organisations, our aim is to create a network of traffic-free facilities at which people of all ages from across the country can learn to ride a bike, improve their cycling skills and take part in regular physical activity, whether that be racing or for recreation.

“This is another step towards doing just that, and we look forward to the facilities being fully operational and open to the public.”

To complete the projects, British Cycling will be working in partnership with New College and Leicester City Council; Hull City Council and Hull Culture and Leisure Trust; and Reading Borough Council.

Mills added: “The level of interest and appetite in developing new cycling facilities is tremendous, and we remain grateful to Sport England for their backing, and to the respective partner organisations for their determination to be part of our vision to make Britain a true cycling nation. The development of facilities is a crucial part of making this vision a reality, and we will continue to work hard to ensure that everyone in Britain has a suitable place to cycle.”

Work on a closed-road circuit in Leeds is also currently underway, while another in Wakefield has recently been completed.