Ride on ‘Exciting’ new cycle track is safe space for community fun
AIt’s great to see a track designed for all ages and abilities and I hope it will encourage more people to get on their bikes and give it a go. Every community needs a fun and safe space like this
Declan Brooks
NEW sports facility for youngsters has opened in South Bristol – and has been given the Olympic seal of approval.
BMX freestyler and Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Declan Brooks was the guest of honour at the opening of a new cycling track in Stockwood.
The new facility created by UK charity Access Sport will be accessible to everyone on bikes, scooters and skateboards.
Community leaders said the track is very welcome in an area of south Bristol with precious little for youngsters to do.
It’s one of only four in the city, and local councillors Graham Morris and Jonathan Hucker said they hoped it would be well used.
“We are delighted to see the new bike track in Stockwood,” the two councillors said.
“We have worked hard to secure this facility which will benefit children, young people and families in all parts of the ward.
“To see such a large investment in our community is wonderful news and we hope young people and families will get as much pleasure from using this facility as we have from delivering it.
“We must express our gratitude to Access Sport – without their involvement we would not be here today.”
The track was created as part of Access Sport’s Making Trax Cycling Inclusion Programme, which seeks to put facilities in places where they are desperately needed.
Building it also involved creating a new footpath to the track from nearby Whittock Road, a storage unit to provide a safe place to store community bikes and helmets, and a little social space to watch the action on the track.
Joe McTague, the delivery director at Access Sport, said the idea was to do more than just create it and leave the kids to it.
He said the Stockwood Bike Track would become a “thriving resource” for the community, creating a safe and exciting place for people to learn to ride, increase cycling confidence and enhance bikehandling skills.
Access Sport now plans to set up a cycling group to provide a wide range of opportunities for local people to get involved, through riding, coaching or volunteering.
“There will also be recreational and structured cycling sessions offered at the track, which will include coached sessions, rock-up -and-ride sessions, after-school sessions, Wingz cycling (inclusive cycling for anyone with an impairment and/or additional need), BMXercise (specifically for women and girls) and Access Sport’s unique school and community outreach programme,” said Joe.
“We are delighted that Stockwood Bike Track is now complete. It is brilliant to see people already out enjoying the new track.
“We would like to thank our partners The London Marathon Charitable Trust, Enovert Community Trust, Bristol City Council, Churngold, the John James Bristol Foundation and Architrail Velosolutions, for helping create this facility.”
The track has been open for a couple of weeks now, but was officially opened by 25-year-old Olympic medallist Declan Brooks.
“The Stockwood Bike Track is an amazing facility for the local community,” he said.
“It’s great to see a track designed for all ages and abilities and I hope it will encourage more people to get on their bikes and give it a go. Every community needs a fun and safe space like this.”