San Fairy Ann Cycle Club

3 times bigger than the Olympic Velopark! Road, Time Trial and BMX circuits. The park will cater for all ages and abilities and be located within the Thames Gateway – the largest regeneration area in Europe. It will include a total of 6.7 kilometres of tarmac cycling road circuits – breaking down into four tracks with a main circuit of 2.8km – allowing simultaneous use for road racing and time trials.

Also planned is a BMX track, off-road trails, horse trails, running trails, and skateboard tracks and a children’s cycling play area.
The BMX and Skateboard parks will be reached from the substantial pavilion via a bridge crossing the road circuit.
The pavilion will have a restaurant - from which diners should be able to view the road circuit - indoor training facilities, community sports space, changing rooms capable of accommodating 200 competitors, workshops and office accommodation for dedicated coaching staff, plus equipment hire facilities

Full details http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/394590/largest-cycling-park-in-the-uk-gets-go-ahead-in-kent.html

Wow, that looks like it could be great! Let's hope it's a little less hilly and windy than Hog Hill eh?

Rob. Stop moaning about Hog Hill

You just need to ride it more often and you'll learn to love it. Remember if you can feel it hurting in the legs the chances are that the people you are racing are feeling it too.

Excellent

Ron.

Just trying to locate where this site may be. I found this bit of land between the old and new A2. Does this look about right ?

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=51 ... 4&t=h&z=15

That looks near it Phill, here is a link I found about it

http://www.gravesham.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4122

Looks like it goes either side of the Tollgate Hotel.

So I could 'pop in' on the way home from work then?!

Is that the outcome of those letters we wrote Ron? If so that was well worth 10 minutes!!!

Folks, just when we had high hopes of being able to use this cycling park in the not-too-distant future, a couple of large spanners have been thrown in the works! First - the Highways Agency don't want to take responsibility for the existing bridge which will be used as access to the park, leaving the project in jeopardy because KCC has said it will pull out if it becomes responsible for the upkeep of the bridge. Secondly - Sport England have rejected the application for funding! This news, which has come to me in the last hour, has been relayed to the highest level, and will be vigorously challenged.
It seems that, despite the success that cycling has brought to this country, we are still regarded as the poor relations. A lot of time and money is expended on trying to bring to fruition plans for better facilities to the South East, only to see them dashed because some "jobsworths" are not interested or have ulterior motives. The Gillingham Track Project, Herne Hill Velodrome, renovation of the Crystal Palace road racing circuit are just some examples!
Clubs must make their voices heard - to Councils, MPs and the Press - if we are to get the recognition and facilities we need. Hopefully I will be able to post some more positve news in the near future. Until then, I apologise for being so downcast in reporting such tragic news.

Regards, your BC Delegate
Pete Wall

Pete, any chance you could supply some contact details of those people holding the purse strings.

It makes such adifference if you can direct your comments to the right people,

email addresses would be best.

In answer to the question "who holds the purse strings" I have that information, but will have to await authorisation to publicise. At the moment we (South East Region Board of BC) are looking to our CEO at Manchester to "pull the right strings". I don't want to jump the gun, but experience tells me we don't want to hold fire too long either.
The strategy should be sorted out over the weekend.
Thanks for your support.

Pete

Latest news this afternoon is that KCC are to appeal against Sport England decision. Some of the reasons given for rejecting application for a grant are not valid at all. It appears that the application was thrown out without even looking at the details. In fact it has been said they were looking at another application! British Cycling's CEO has not yet replied yet. Watch this space!
Regards
Pete

Watch this space!

and cross your fingers.

Tuesday's news. Ian Drake, British Cycling's CEO, is to meet Sport England this week in an attempt to sort things out. I have every confidence in Ian's ability to do just that. The dispute over who is responsible for the bridge - Highways Authority or Kent County Council - has yet to be resolved.
Regards
Pete

Thanks for these updates Pete