BOARD SHOULD OPPOSE VELOPARK OF 'LITTLE MERIT'

BRITISH Cycling?s chief executive Peter King has been told at a special meeting of the Eastway Users Group (EUG) at Stratford this week, that British Cycling should take legal counsel and oppose the poor road circuit and off-road facilities offered in the recent Olympic Delivery Authority?s downsized plans for the Velopark because they are of ?little merit?.

The Olympic Delivery Authorities decision to cut the size of the Velopark site from 34-hectares to 10 met with little resistance from British Cycling?s chief who claims the provision of a new indoor track and BMX track will give the sport state of the art facilities. King hopes to negotiate for improvements to the road circuit plans and is calling for the speedway track to be reinstated and the mtb provision improved upon.

EUG are convinced that the ODA?s vastly reduced Velopark site contravenes the ?Eastway Cycle Circuit Relocation and Legacy Strategy 32?, and that British Cycling should robustly oppose the ODA.

The EUG meeting called on the Board of British Cycling, who meet this weekend, to inform itself of the planning conditions which were won by users to protect their interests in cycle sport. EUG site the Lee Valley Park Authority Act 1966.

EUG says future provision should ? fall in line with the requirement of users for a full and fair legacy that was in the original legacy and bid proposals.?