BRADFORD risks losing some of the legacy of the Tour De France’s visit to the district if soon to be demolished facilities are not replaced - according to to a cycling action plan.

Many local cycling clubs currently use the facilities at Richard Dunn Sports Centre in Odsal, but with that centre due to be flattened in the near future, Bradford will be “deprived of a very important cycling hub.”

The strategy was produced by B-Spoke, the Bradford Cycle Forum that took place in February, and lists Bradford’s cycling priorities for the coming year.

It also calls for Bradford to host “traffic free days” on certain roads, better signage for cycle routes and suggests new routes being created.

Bradford’s Cycle Strategy will be discussed at a meeting of the Council’s Environment and Waste Management Scrutiny Committee tomorrow.

The Richard Dunn sports centre is due to be replaced by a new leisure centre on the Sedbergh Playing Fields site between Cleckheaton Road and Huddersfield Road. The new centre will feature a 25m pool, an eight-court sports hall, an 80-station fitness suite, dance studios, and outdoor pitches for football and rugby, but no major cycling facilities.

When discussing the district’s cycling facilities, B-Spoke’s action plan says: “Closure of the Richard Dunn Sports Centre will deprive Bradford of a very important cycling hub, if a replacement is not provided. Richard Dunn hosts a broad range of vital cycling activity for Bradford and beyond; not to mention non-cycling organisations and wheelchair athletes.

“As part of the legacy of Le Grand Depart, 2014, similar facilities have been opened in York, Elland, Wakefield and Leeds. This has led to the development of the White Rose Youth League, who train on the Richard Dunn circuit. It would be very disappointing for Bradford, as the pioneers of this provision, to lose its place in the league.”

It calls for Bradford to develop a “national standard velodrome” to replace Richard Dunn.

The plan also says the Council should “take a risk” by closing off roads to cars on some days. It adds: “traffic free days should not be damaging to the local economy and could bring many health and social benefits if Bradford Council were prepared to take the risk.”

It also suggests that the annual City Cycle event could be “developed into a bigger and better event” in future years.

The committee has been asked to note the report, and for officers to attend B-Spoke’s quarterly meetings. The committee meets at 5.30pm in City Hall.