Proposed Closed Road Circuit
Eirias Park Cycle Circuit Latest News
The Leisure and Community Development Services of Conwy County Borough Council had been considering how to meet the rapidly growing interest in cycling when they were approached by Welsh Cycling and representatives of local cycling clubs about the possibility of developing some form of off-road cycling amenity.
Discussions took place in identifying existing specific problems for the cycling fraternity and as a result Welsh Cycling, British Cycling and representatives of local cycling clubs joined in partnership to consider the matter.
Following research and site visits it was considered that a suitable site could be located in Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, for the following reasons:
Multi sport venue. There is already a leisure centre on the site. Stand-alone sports facilities are expensive to run, and the multi sport venue is the way forward. There are several similar examples in England, at Preston, Lancaster, Bradford, Shrewsbury and Lincoln. Most of our proposed circuit developments are in multi sport projects.
Location. Eirias Park has good road links via the A55 to North Wales and beyond.
Proximity of schools. There is a secondary school virtually on the site and there are a number of Primary schools within easy travelling distance. This will ensure a link in with the Go Ride Wales Development programme that is running across North Wales.
Cycling clubs. The success of any cycling facility is dependant on the existence of strong clubs, and the establishment of strong school/club links. There are such clubs in the area, and there is a very strong motivation to make a facility in North Wales successful.
Local and regional importance. All cycling facilities provide for local and regional needs. They meet the local needs for cycle training and sports provision for schools, and the needs of the community in terms of leisure provision. They also serve as regional facilities for the more serious competition cyclists, and attract riders from very far away. Eirias Park will serve both the needs of Colwyn Bay itself, and the whole of North Wales
The selected area is on a site which was developed from waste spoil from the development of the A55 Expressway, a site which is not normally used by the public due to extreme wetness underfoot.
View 1 of the site
Part of the site had been the route of a stream having now been piped to a sea outfall.
View 2 of the site
The Engineering and Design Department of Conwy County Borough Council worked in conjunction with Welsh Cycling and British Cycling and as a result a 1km, 6m wide cycle and multi-purpose track design has been produced.
View 3 of the site
Currently the partnership is developing proposals in order to obtain the funding necessary to construct the track.
To have a possibility of receiving grants there are many requirements within the criteria of funding agencies which have to be met, two of which are clear evidence of support for the project and sustainability of project.
Any project such as this has to be judged as viable, as a value-for-money investment and the partnership would therefore welcome your support.
You may know of the success that other facilities of this proposed type enjoy, you may wish to avail yourself of the track either for recreational, training or competitive reasons.
Please give your support to both present members of your organisation and those who will, as a result of the development of the track, join your ranks.
Although no longer a cyclist it would give me great pleasure to see cyclists and budding cyclists riding on an off-road, safe, track.
You can help.
Please download this form (download here) and ask your club members to show their support for the proposed facility, and send to:
Cliff Prout,
Eirias Park Cycle Track Funding Co-ordinator,
15, Hesketh Road,
Old Colwyn,
Colwyn Bay,
Conwy.
LL29 8AT.
Alternatively you can E-mail your support to:
Plan of the proposed site