Cycle Track, Pump Trackand Running Path

Within the development we plan to include a mountain bike track and pump track which will be used to deliver PE curriculum as well as offering club and community facilities during the school day and community use in the evenings. Bishops Stortford Triathlon and British Cycling have identified an interest in the facility, with British Cycling identifying a possible East Hertfordshire Cycling Hub to be based at the facility.

Cycle Track
Cycle Track in Action

Our project for proposed cycling facilities was borne out of the school’s desire, following the success of the London 2012 Olympics and cycling in particular, to extend its sporting provision with the intention of engaging the students and the local community in cycling and to provide an opportunity locally for talent development.

We are fortunate to have the Gosling Stadium, the Velopark and Redbridge Cycling centres as Clubs within reach. However, these prove to be too distant for many in the East Herts/ West Essex area. We believe the only other significant cycling facility being developed within the southeast is part of the Northern Gateway sports park at Colchester, but at over thirty miles away this is too far to provide easy access for locals training regularly. Our location is ideally situated to serve the local community and the Eastern Region.

The promotion of healthy lifestyles is crucial for the health of the nation and for reducing the burden on the NHS. Environmental change is also at the forefront of public concern, with transport a critical link in improving our green credentials. Therefore, promoting the bicycle as both a mode of transport and a form of recreation is now a central Government policy. As a school of 1500 young people we are in an excellent position to lead the way and influence local public opinion with regard to cycling. The proposed new facilities will help us to teach and promote the benefits of cycling as a way of life, within school and the local community. In doing so we can significantly help to address both the Health and the Environmental concerns. As iterated above we are also devoid of a safe facility locally and we are keen to fill this need. The new facilities would enable our own school cycling club to expand and allow Bishop’s Stortford Tri Club to move from our current hard standing areas on the main school site, to the proposed purpose built high quality MTB track.

The running path and trim trail are in response to local groups looking for safe spaces, to run and stay fit, in a traffic free and managed environment. The path is about 700 meters in length and will serve the needs of runners for leisure and triathlon, as well as serving as a surface for Bikeability and learn to ride schemes.

Cycle Track Rendering