Save BRIGHTON'S VELODROME

[twinkle]

Hi Folks
Preston Park here in Brighton Sussex has the oldest outdoor Velodrome in the United Kingdom.
Built around 1887 it has been host to some of the best track racing cyclists, including Reg Harris in the fifties .

Because of a lack of maintenance by Brighton and Hove Council , The British Cycling Federation has deemed it unfit for racing this year due to the track needing some extra safety
barriers and so it has been closed.
Today a slow cycle ride was held to show support and a e-petition has been launched to discuss the needed repairs to bring it up to being a safe track please help support the case by signing the e-petition.

By chance we were in Brighton today with the 20/20 in the boot of the car and Ken and I attended the event and rode 6 laps each of the track. It is the longest velodrome in the UK at 1/3 of a mile and deserves to be kept and not left to rot. With the exception of the war years , it has been home to cycle racing since it was opened . Please help keep it going for the future
I raced here in the mid sixties long before the fencing was fitted along the top of the final bend .
In the video on the face book page . Ken is seen riding the 20/20 in the short clip . The Trike is seen about 1/2 way through the video

https://www.facebook.com/savepreston...etrack?fref=nf

I have been told that more photos will be posted later on showing the 20/20 and some of the other unusual bikes that were there

regards emma

 

[EddiePJ]

That's a poor show on my part. I only live about 25 miles away and didn't even know that it existed. I'd have loved to have visited and watched it in action. Shame the some of the Olympic money hadn't been ploughed into it.

 

[twinkle]

Hi Eddie
lts only been here since 1877 when it was built by victorian soldiers who dug it out by hand and it had seen action for virtually all its life bar the two world wars .
It is the longest and oldest track in the UK - 29 laps =10 miles
I raced here in 65 thru to 67 , I also raced on the army camp perimeter road up near you in Crowborough in 1966

The BCF only declared the track unfit for cycle sport in January 15 until then it has been used from may till august for amateur league racing every Wednesday .due to new requirements in safety fencing .
When we raced there there was no barrier on the top of the final banking .

please sign the petition so we can get competive track racing back into Brighton there is a small chance it could reopen again this year IF

regards emma

 

[flecc]

I've signed, number 3495 so far. Here is the link to sign up to the petition, please sign, it only takes a moment and you don't have to log in to use the first internal link:

Save Preston Park Cycle Track
.

 

[ajb9]

signed 3498

 

[Croxden]

Signed 3514

 

[Blew it]

A facility that is far too good to lose. The surface is still in excellent condition.

The video below, filmed by a guy riding a penny-farthing, clearly shows how good it is. I hope they succeed in their efforts in upgrading the fencing.

 

[Croxden]

It looks like an ideal site for housing development. Using the fencing as an excuse, someone's pal will make a killing, keep up the opposition to the closure.

 

[EddiePJ]

Hi Eddie
lts only been here since 1877 when it was built by victorian soldiers who dug it out by hand and it had seen action for virtually all its life bar the two world wars .
It is the longest and oldest track in the UK - 29 laps =10 miles
I raced here in 65 thru to 67 , I also raced on the army camp perimeter road up near you in Crowborough in 1966

The BCF only declared the track unfit for cycle sport in January 15 until then it has been used from may till august for amateur league racing every Wednesday .due to new requirements in safety fencing .
When we raced there there was no barrier on the top of the final banking .

please sign the petition so we can get competive track racing back into Brighton there is a small chance it could reopen again this year IF

regards emma

Thanks for the info Emma.

You wouldn't sadly recognise the army camp these days. The parade square has been left to ruin, car parks gone, fences up every where, and loads of general decay.

I must confess that to this day, I ride through and round it a fair bit. I often wonder what would happen if I were to get caught though. The days of just being able to meander around it are sadly long gone.

I remember as kids, we used to muck around down there all the time. I also recall someone climbing into the back of a Bedford army lorry and stealing some kind of machine gun. Thankfully I wasn't there that day, and the gun got dumped very quickly, with no shots being fired. Although probably only because it presumably had no ammo.

 

[carpetbagger]

signed 3584

 

[billadie]

You may want to register the velodrome as an Asset of Community Value under the Localism Act 2011 just in case the council does decide to sell. This gives six months leeway whilst "the community" attempts to raise funds to buy it. Also tends to dissuade developers as it involves delay. See http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/community-right-to-bid/

 

[SRS]

signed 3585