“Bullying behaviour” and mismanagement by National Highways over road scheme putting future of bike park at risk, say owners

A popular mountain bike park near Gloucester could be forced to close, its owners say, after National Highways moved forward construction work on a major road upgrade which would leave the cycling facility “uninsurable”.

Flyup 417, located on a 100-acre farm in Witcombe, just off the A417 and overlooking the city of Gloucester, is the biggest privately owned mountain bike facility in England, and is home to 11 downhill trials, an indoor concrete pump track, a dirt jump park, a dual slalom track, and a four-cross track.

However, as its name suggests, the park’s proximity to the A417 – currently the site of a £500m upgrade to create a full dual carriageway and improve links to the M4 and M5 – means that owners Simon and Angela Ruskin have been forced to make a number of changes to the facility due to the proposed construction work on the road.

The A417 ‘Missing Link’ scheme aims to create 3.4 miles of new dual carriageway by 2027, connecting the existing A417 Brockworth bypass with the A417 dual carriageway south of Cowley, an upgrade to the existing stretch of single carriageway that National Highways says will help to relieve the “frequent and unpredictable” congestion in the area, as well as reduce collisions.

The husband-and-wife team behind Flyup 417 say they have been in consultation with National Highways since the scheme was approved and, due to the disruption likely to be caused by the road works, had reached an agreement to install a temporary car park and visitor centre at the bottom of the bike park.

These changes, which Flyup have applied for planning permission to implement permanently with National Highways’ support, also include rejigging a number of trails and some access roads, to ensure the park can remain open throughout the works.

> Trail Guide: Flyup 417

However, despite this relationship working well until November 2023, Simon and Angela said this week that a “change of personnel at Highways meant assurances we had been given were withdrawn with no explanation”, with works set to be carried out and land take notices set to be issued ahead of the agreed schedule.  

“With the DCO [Development Consent Order] in place and all the assurances given to us as part of that process we felt that our business would be protected and were alarmed that National Highways were able to overturn legal agreements and commitments made to the Planning Inspector and Secretary of State,” Angela Ruskin said.

The team continued: “The Highways Agency keep trying to rejig plans without any consideration of how the park works. At this stage, we contacted our local MP, Laurence Robertson, and it was only after he became involved that Highways agreed to a meeting on site to explain how their work affects the site.

“Their current plans would result in the park being uninsurable and the park would have to close. This is alongside the fact that National Highways’ revised plan makes it unworkable for us to run the site as safely as we do now. Since this meeting, we have had no further response from Highways.

“We are currently in the position where Highways could come in at short notice and start working.”

“As local residents and business owners, who completely support the road scheme and its need to be built, we have spent the last few months working tirelessly to communicate, meet, and discuss the situation with National Highways, to explain our unique situation and highlight the impact of any deviation to the previously agreed solution,” Angela added.

“But their alternative solutions have been progressed without consultation and appreciation of our business and its complexities.

“We have felt misled and let down and have witnessed bullying behaviour by National Highways that is putting our business, family home and the livelihoods of all our staff at risk, and it’s ultimately going to cost the taxpayer more than it needs to.

“At a time when the Post Office scandal is highlighting the devastating impacts of a government-owned organisation bullying and mistreating small family businesses, questions must be raised about National Highways’ behaviour. We felt we had to speak up.”

In response to the Flyup team’s concerns, Steve Foxley, Project Director for the A417 Missing Link scheme, said: “We appreciate that any work, particularly on such a major project, may cause disruption for nearby businesses and aim to do all we can to minimise that disturbance as much as possible.

“Reimbursement has already been paid, and any land temporarily acquired would be returned following completion of the scheme.

“We’re working closely with Flyup to address concerns and have agreed to delay the start of works on their land to allow for further discussions. We have suggested a list of changes that we believe will protect their facilities and allow them to keep trading, including site safety and reducing the land required for us to undertake our works.

“We are continuing to engage and we have further meetings planned to discuss these matters. We are working within our approved planning constraints, and we will continue to engage with FlyUp to minimise any impacts from this important and much needed project.”

Flyup have also noted that the park remains open “as it stands”, that bookings will be honoured, and – should the park be forced to close suddenly – refunds will be issued.