Park a-Peels to bikers

5:52pm Saturday 17th May 2008

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Work is starting on Monday on a new BMX cycle track at Peel Park, Bradford.

The £175,000 project will be state-of-the-art and professionally designed to national standards in order to attract competitions to the city as well as being used by members of Bradford Bandits BMX Racing Club and the community.

Bradford Council's leisure service has been working with Sport England, British Cycling and the Bandits to provide the track. It is being funded by the Council, the club and British Cycling through the Sport England's Community Club Development Programme.

Peel Park held the prestigious National Cyclo Cross trophy for the second time last year when the Green Flag-rated park was turned into a racing circuit.

Bradford Bandits works to educate young people about safety with the Go Ride initiative and coaching with schools and encourage people to take part in the sport and cycling activities.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the Council's executive member for environment and culture, said: "This track will not only benefit the clubs that use it but also the local community and I am sure that it will attract national sporting events to the district."

Jeremy Brown, club secretary of BMX Bandits, said: "The club provides the opportunity for local people young and old to come and take part in this exciting sport in a safe and friendly environment.

"With BMX Racing becoming an Olympic sport this year the club is expecting this to create even more interest in the sport with the track at Bradford becoming a training venue for riders hoping to take part in the 2012 London Olympics.

"The club will be working in the future to maximise the use of the facility by having coaches and equipment (bikes and helmets) available to run sessions whenever necessary."

The club will continue to run training sessions on Saturdays on the playing fields adjacent to the BMX track from 10.30am to 1pm while the new track is being built. These sessions will be supervised by British Cycling qualified coaches and anyone is welcome to take part.

David Gent, regional director of Sport England Yorkshire, said: "How fantastic that work on the track is under way. Recent figures from the Active People survey show that the number of people getting out on their bikes is increasing. The track is going to give even more people the opportunity to get involved in BMX, which is brilliant for Bradford."