Can You Find Any of British Cycling’s New Places To Ride?

News

by Hannah Dobson September 18, 2024 0

There’s a whole host of new places to ride now available in the UK thanks to legacy funding from the UCI Road World Championships in 2019 – only it’s rather difficult to find out where – or what they actually are. Help us fill in the blanks!

A couple of weeks ago we received a press release announcing the success of the ‘Places To Ride’ project, a £15 million pound project following the UCI Road World Championships in 2019 that’s seen groups all over the country receive funds to help improve the availability of cycle facilities.

The press release was to mark the publication of a report that highlights its impact in communities nationwide. In total, the press release noted that the programme, a partnership between British Cycling, Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport supported:

• Six skateparks
• 49 BMX and pump tracks
• 10 closed road circuits
• 23 mountain bike trails
• 17 learn-to-ride projects for beginners
• 44 equipment and storage solutions
• Seven clubhouse units

Which is great! Except that neither the press released nor the report tells us much about where the facilities are, or exactly what they are. 23 mountain bike trails? Was this 23 new mountain bike trails, or 23 resurfaced mountain bike trails, we wondered? And where are all these pump tracks, and can we go and play on them? The maps in the report certainly aren’t going to lead us to any treasure.

Due to the nature of the funding, we’re not expecting there to be extreme black trails – but something you can zip round after work, or of a weekend with the kids, is always handy to know about.

We do have a couple of case studies showing the sorts of success that has been possible as a result of this funding. Those interested in this sort of thing might like to note that the £15m has largely been seed funding – it’s been matched and added to by partners and fundraisers to make each project happen. The level of community and volunteer support was also one of the factors taken into account when awarding the grants, so if you’re trying to make a new facility happen near you, it’s worth getting organised. This should put you in a better position to take advantage of any future funding that might be available from anywhere. The report is a handy read too if you’re looking to get a feel for the types of costs that are involved, or the kinds of benefits funders are looking to see as a result of new facilities.

Unfortunately, we’ve been told that full information of exactly what has been built and where is not neatly compiled into one document or website, so we’re not able to provide you with a neat directory of cool new places to take your bike. Which would, surely, be quite a handy thing to have? That’s where you come in!

What we have managed to get is a list of the BMX/Pump tracks and mountain bike locations and their postcodes. We thought that you lot could help us crowdsource a bit more information about the locations. If there’s a postcode near you, perhaps you could find out:

• What’s new?
• The grading/type of any trails now there
• Whether it’s available to access whenever, or if you need a booking
• A photo or two of what’s there
• Any tips that would help folks have a good time there – what bike would you take? Is it suitable for a kid on a scooter or balance bike? Is there a cafe, or a bike shop? That sort of thing.

Head to the comments to post your findings and photos! Hopefully some of us might discover a nice new ride spot to explore as a result.

Here’s the official PR:

As the world’s best road cyclists race through Yorkshire in the latest stage of the 2024 Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain Men, the impact of community investment from ‘Places to Ride’ has been revealed today, with more than 150 facilities receiving more than £15 million in funding to ensure people across the country will find it easier than ever to get involved in all forms of cycling.

Delivered in partnership between British Cycling, Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Places to Ride has invested significant funds in facilities nationwide since 2019, when funding was allocated to deliver a lasting legacy from the UCI Road World Championships, staged in Yorkshire.

Fresh from Olympic and Paralympic success in Paris, the legacy of elite performances is clear with these new and improved facilities providing vibrant hubs of community activity, providing traffic-free spaces where people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds can experience the joy of cycling.

With all investment now allocated, a new report has now been published to highlight its impact in communities nationwide. In total the programme supported:

• Six skateparks
• 49 BMX and pump tracks
• 10 closed road circuits
• 23 mountain bike trails
• 17 learn-to-ride projects for beginners
• 44 equipment and storage solutions
• Seven clubhouse units

The Place to Ride programme set out to address inequalities in participation and create new opportunities for under- represented groups in cycling. As a result, 83% of projects focused on children and young people, 41% on women and girls, 35% on low socio-economic groups and 41% on participants with disabilities or long-term illnesses.

Funded projects typically provide traffic-free space for riding, were developed alongside the local community and are able to host other community events or activities – maximising their societal benefit.

Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society & Youth, said:

“Back in 2019, I watched on proudly as Yorkshire hosted the International Cycling Federation’s Road World Championships, reinforcing the UK’s strong track record as host of major international events.

“Today the legacy of those Championships lives on, with more than 150 community cycling facilities benefiting across the country.

“Delivered in partnership with Sport England and British Cycling, these facilities are enabling people of all ages and abilities to get involved with different forms of cycling, ensuring the sport continues to grow and more of us enjoy the benefits of physical activity.”

British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton, said:

“Hosting major events, like the Men’s and Women’s editions of the Lloyds Bank Tour of Britain, has the potential to inspire and impact communities throughout our nation.

“At British Cycling, we want everyone to experience the joy of cycling. We’re really proud of what our athletes have achieved in Paris this summer, but rather than that being the final outcome, for us it’s about what now happens at home.

“By working closely with clubs, local authorities, schools, and facility operators who have benefitted from the fantastic Places to Ride investment that came from hosting a major championship on these shores, we believe these facilities can become true cornerstones of their communities for many years to come.

“To give everyone the chance to enjoy the benefits that cycling brings – physical and mental health, happiness, belonging, better air quality, a lower carbon footprint, and an affordable way of getting to work or school – we need continued investment in facilities and infrastructure to make this happen.”

Sport England’s Chief Executive, Tim Hollingsworth, said:

“Sport England is proud to work with British Cycling to deliver more and improved community cycling facilities through Places to Ride. Uniting the Movement, our ten-year strategy, is focused on creating opportunities for everyone to get active – regardless of background, bank balance or postcode.

“This project is providing more opportunities for a diverse range of people to ride a bike. It’s connecting local communities, and it’s good for the environment too. We’re delighted to celebrate its impact so far with this report today.”

Yorkshire’s two-time Olympic gold medallist in cross-country mountain bike and professional road racing cyclist for INEOS Grenadiers, Tom Pidcock MBE, said:

“Access to quality cycling facilities has been absolutely crucial for every stage of my development. From mountain bike trails to closed road circuits, I’m incredible grateful for the first-class places I have trained at over the years – they’ve made me the rider I am today.

“To put it simply; kids won’t ride bikes if we don’t provide safe places for them to do that. These facilities will play a huge role in making cycling accessible to people from all walks of life, encouraging more people to take up the sport. That can only be a good thing to help foster our Olympic and World Champions of the future.”

You can read the full report here.

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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