The Astley and Tyldesley Cycling Club are delighted to announce that they have been successful in securing funding with assistance from British Cycling to re-build the Gin Pit Cycle Speedway Track.

The current Gin Pit Track was built 25 years ago, by three volunteers, on a ‘shoestring budget’, when the club first started. The funding package will allow the track to be rebuilt and re-profiled to modern standards, with new fencing, drainage and shale which will improve the experience for all riders.

Astley and Tyldesley are a British Cycling Go-Ride Accredited Club and have held Sport England Clubmark status since 2005, demonstrating a long-term commitment to developing cycling for young people. They have also recently formed a women's section.

Club secretary and founder member Mike Hack is delighted. "This is a massive boost for the club. The new track will mean that our race circuit will be of a comparable standard to most other cycle speedway tracks in the UK, which were built by local authorities to professional construction standards.

"Club members will not need to spend as much time maintaining and repairing the track, thereby freeing them up for more coaching and development work. The club will benefit from having reduced maintenance and repair costs, whilst club members and visiting riders will enjoy riding on a better facility."

The work starts on Monday 21 March and is planned to be completed within six weeks. In the meantime, Astley and Tyldesley have swapped their home fixtures during this period.