How much to build a race circuit?

[Dave5N]

I beg to differ.

 

[Will1985]

Dave - clarity might help to end this discussion...

 

[Dave5N]

Ok. I'd like Roger to tell us why he thinks tracks in this country all need to be publicly subsidised.

 

[Dave5N]

No. that's why they are all subsidized by local authorities or Sport England

Cos that's what he said. I think that is plain wrong.

And it is a negative message that on this thread at least suggests we shouldn't build new facilities.

And I disagree.

Because he won't evidence his sweeping statements.

 

[Hilldodger]

There's to be a new track in Leicester and the research done by Leicester city council concluded that ongoing financially support would be needed. I've seen the report and agree.

I have also done a great deal of research into Saffron Lane velodrome - once the national stadium and the most imprtant track in the UK over the past 50 years.

And I'm not saying new tracks shouldn't be build but given the number that have closed down or fallen in to disrepair over the last twenty years should act as a warning.

Any new cycle track needs to be viable. All I was asking is how would a new track BE viable.

 

[Dave5N]

Halesowen has a tarmac 400m banked track. Owned and operated without subsidy by a private members club. It works because we don't pay bureaucrats and consultants and so on - just a bunch of enthusiasts working together.

Incidentally, it's not just cycling. There are athletics facilities, weights, and tennis courts. All run by volunteers.

 

[Hilldodger]

So it's a sports facility and not just a cycling track and it's a private members club.

That's fine. My initial remark was "how will the running costs and upkeep be met" and you turned that into my being anti cycle tracks.

But I will alter my statement and say no free PUBLIC access track makes a profit.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

honestly, you two are like the Judaean People's Front and the People's Front of Judaea. If you are both working for the good of cycling, why don't you just try to get along?

 

[Hilldodger]

Looking back through my notes I see that the club recently recieved a grant of £5,000 from Dudley Council. This is in addition to a further £5,000 in 2007 and other amounts in previous years.

They also recieve reduced (if not exempt) business rates which amounts to a subsidy of tens of thousands each year.*

*Source, Dudley Council.

 

[Dave5N]

Not really because a municipal track won't pay full rates either. The grant I think you are referring to was not for the cycling section at all. It was for the athletes.

 

[Will1985]

I had a feeling this was being steered towards Manor Abbey - perhaps the high membership costs help with upkeep?

The OP was asking about circuits though, so in the case of the West Midlands it might be more useful if we knew the cost of building Tudor Grange.

 

[Hilldodger]

Your claim about the track.

Owned and operated without subsidy by a private members club

Also

Incidentally, it's not just cycling. There are athletics facilities, weights, and tennis courts.

So how can a grant made to the club overall NOT benefit the track?

 

[Dave5N]

Because the money was for Athletics equipment.

Tudor Grange cost £502254.51

 

[Skip Madness]

Because the money was for Athletics equipment.

And therefore did not need to be diverted away from other areas, like the cycling track.

 

[Dave5N]

It couldn't be. Each section is run seperately, with it's own bank account and accounts. The sections do not support each other financially. In essence they are seperate clubs, whose different facilities are on the same site.