British Cycling To Resurface Herne Hill Track

29 March 2011

British Cycling has announced that work to resurface the crumbling track at Herne Hill velodrome will begin shortly.

A public meeting in Dulwich last week heard that British Cycling and the Dulwich Estate landlords of the site agreed terms for a 15-year lease on the track in February. British Cycling's former CEO Peter King, a trustee of the Herne Hill Velodrome Trust, and Policy and Legal Affairs Director Martin Gibbs attended the meeting and with the lease now being finalised, British Cycling can release the funds to resurface the track.

British Cycling's National Facilities Manager David Cockram will project manage the track resurfacing work which is expected to take place over the summer and is likely to take around four weeks.

The next phase of the project will be for the Save the Velodrome campaign to raise money to regenerate the site.

Ian Drake, British Cycling's CEO, said: "We are delighted that the lease is nearly signed and British Cycling is now in a position to resurface the track. This should give a real boost to the Save the Velodrome campaign and they can now focus on raising funds for a new pavilion. A lot of work still remains to be done but we are optimistic that the future of Herne Hill Velodrome will be secured for the benefit of cycling in the capital and to help develop the next generation of Olympic champions."

The future of the Herne Hill Velodrome, the last surviving finals venue from the 1948 London Olympics, had been put in jeopardy in recent years and the venue was potentially facing closure.

However, the fortunes of this historic velodrome are now being reversed with British Cycling's investment and the efforts of the Save the Velodrome campaign helping to bring public opinion on side.

Supporters of the Save the Velodrome campaign include triple Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins, who began his track riding career at Herne Hill, London 2012 Olympic chief Lord Coe, local MP Tessa Jowell and nearby residents including actor James Nesbitt and comedian Jenny Eclair, as well as the many cyclists, young and old, who use its facilities.