Hoblingwell Cycle Track: All wheeled bike track and cycle club

The £457k Bromley Bike Hub project is moving ahead with thanks to council and grant funding and support of local people.  The cycle track is designed for all types of non-motorised wheeled sports including mountain bikes, scooters, balance bikes, BMX bikes, skateboards and in-line skates and will improve leisure facilities at the recreation ground.  In addition to the asphalt pump track, a learn to ride area will be established in the adjacent playground. Once built, the council’s partner, Access Sport, will work with the local community to establish a volunteer-led club to run structured sessions and ensure that the facility is well used and available to all. The track will also be open to the wider community for casual use and will complement the other facilities at the recreation ground which form part of the Hoblingwell Hub. 

Following feedback secured during consultation, the scheme will also introduce associated landscaping features including seating areas, storage units for equipment, way finding and facility signage, cycle parking, litter bins and tree planting, including a community orchard which will be introduced in partnership with the Friends of Hoblingwell Wood.

Construction is now underway, with landscaping work also due to begin next month, with the estimated 16 week build meaning that the cycle track will open later this spring. The work has been planned to minimise disruption to other activities within the recreation ground, however visitors may see some vehicle movements on and off site as materials are moved in and out to aid construction.

Support from Access Sport, Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group, the  Bromley Safer Neighbourhood Board, The London Marathon Charitable Trust, and the Places to Ride programme, which is being delivered by British Cycling, Sport England & the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) have allowed this work to go ahead, alongside the work of the council and idverde, the council’s greenspace management contractor.

The construction of the track is being undertaken by Clark and Kent Contractors, with the landscaping undertaken by Blakedown Landscapes (SE) Ltd. Works on site are being overseen by Elsie Josland Landscape Design on behalf of Access Sport, in conjunction with idverde, the council’s greenspace management contractor.

Councillor William Huntington-Thresher, Executive Councillor for Environment said, “We are excited by the potential to deliver something outstanding for St Paul’s Cray and St Mary Cray, with the cycle track and related club able to be used by all, including young people.  A big thank you to all the groups who have supported this project from the beginning and to the grant funders who have helped make this possible.”

Joe McTague, Delivery Director at Access Sport: “We are delighted to see the works commence and look forward to seeing the local community enjoying the new facilities when they are complete. This is a facility for all abilities and we encourage anyone who is interested in supporting community sessions to get in touch to find out more.”

Matt Parsonage, Head of Communities at Clarion Futures, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the development of the new cycle track at Hoblingwell which will provide fantastic opportunities for local residents, especially young people. Working in partnership with organisations like Bromley Council, we can make a real difference to local communities and that’s one of our core areas of focus at Clarion Futures.”

Andy Farr, British Cycling’s Head of Business Planning and Transformation, added: “We’re really pleased to have been able to support the new community cycle track through our Places to Ride investment programme.  This new addition to Hoblingwell Wood Recreation Ground will be the perfect cycling facility to get people of all abilities, backgrounds and ages excited about getting out on their bikes and is an important opportunity for us to help people in the community develop both a love of cycling and for the outdoors.”

Marianna Sikorowska, Grants Officer at The London Marathon Charitable Trust, said: “Our mission at The London Marathon Charitable Trust is to Inspire Activity, and we are so pleased to be supporting projects like the new community cycle track at Hoblingwell Wood Recreation Ground! The new track will provide inclusive opportunities so all the local community can enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of cycling and other wheeled sports.”

Ends

Notes to editors: 

• Grant funding from a variety of funders, included £149,624 from the Places to Ride investment programme (led by British Cycling, Sport England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport); £75,000 from London Marathon Charitable Trust; £20,000 from Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group; £5,000 from the Bromley Safer Neighbourhood Board plus a minimum of £65,000 from the council and £115,000 of ‘in-kind’ funding from Access Sport have allowed this work to go ahead. 
• idverde are the council’s contractor for managing and maintaining Bromley’s parks and greenspaces in partnership with Friends of Parks, sports, allotment and other community groups.
• Access Sport is a charity working to improve children and young people’s health and wellbeing, working solely with young people in deprived communities and with an emphasis on young disabled people (https://www.accesssport.org.uk). To get involved in the project please contact  lucy.fisher@accessport.co.uk
• The Hoblingwell Hub was set up by the Friends of Hoblingwell Wood Recreation Ground to represent all the different activities that take place in the park, including a variety of sports provision.
• Sport England is a public body that invests up to £300 million National Lottery and government money each year in projects and programmes that help people get active and play sport. It wants everyone in England, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to feel able to engaged in sport and physical activity. The £15 million Places to Ride fund opened in November 2018 and was set up to secure a legacy from the 2019 UCI
• Road World Championships in Yorkshire. It has been delivered through a partnership of British Cycling, Sport England and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). 
• The London Marathon Charitable Trust provides funding to schemes that maintain and increase participation in physical activity by all members of the community (https://www.lmct.org.uk/about/what-we-do/index.htm
• Clarion Futures fund a range of projects that encourage community engagement and promote health and wellbeing, including projects that regenerate local facilities. (https://www.myclarionhousing.com/)
• Clark and Kent Contractors design and build BMX bike tracks ranging from championship venues to village pump tracks (https://www.clarkkentcontractors.com/)
• Blakedown Landscaping (SE) Ltd design landscapes for clients across multiple sectors including local authorities, the Royal Parks, schools and universities (https://www.blakedown.co.uk/about-us)
   
• For media enquires please contact Andrew Rogers, communications executive, on 020 8461 7670 or email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk