‘An opportunity for youngsters and tourism’: Proposed off-road bike park in Northampton backed by biking enthusiast

A proposed off-road bike park in Northampton has been backed by a mountain biker who has been involved in the project.

Northampton Borough Council announced yesterday (November 26), that plans for a free-to-all, off-road bike park in Hardingstone on land south of Delapre Golf Centre have been successful in the first stage of a vital funding application.Tony Skirrow, who is a mountain biking enthusiast, has been working with the council and other authorities to get the plans to the public consultation stage they are currently at.

He believes the park, which has suggested features of downhill trails, pump tracks and slaloms, will be a centre for community as well as an opportunity for young people and tourism.

The public has also so far, been generally supportive of the idea as the council seeks opinions for the public consultation stage.

Tony said: “This has been a couple of years in the making as in that area there has always been bumps and jumps that mountain bikers use.

“The jumps that had been in Hardingstone were flattened and there was disappointment within the mountain biking community.

“To have something permanent and official where bikers can go and ride is really the aim of this project.

“Everybody is really excited.”

Tony hopes that as well as the already established mountain biking community, others from the town and young people will also be able to enjoy the park too.

He added: “Northampton is in quite a good position with cycle paths, but my mountain biking friends and I will travel three hours around the country to ride the type of trails proposed.

“Kids can’t do that though, so it will be good to have something in the town.

“It will give them the opportunity and the local cycle network is there for them to get to the site.

“It will become a great centre for a community to build up where older riders mentor younger riders and youth groups and clubs can use it.

“It makes perfect sense to me.”

As the project works towards securing funding from the cycling governing body, Tony is also confident the bike park will bring tourism to the town.

“British Cycling sees the Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire corridor as an off-road cycling black hole and they want to put something in this area,” Tony continued.

“We would see people coming that will bring money and tourism into Northampton.”

Since the initial announcement was made, the response from Chronicle & Echo readers has been generally positive, as many took to social media to express their views on the plans.

One commenter said: “It's a brilliant idea.

“Mountain biking is a hugely popular recreation for all ages, you only have to look at the success and popularity of similar bike parks and trail centres up and down the country to see the benefits.

“It promotes better physical and mental health which in turn decreases demand on the health services.

Another added: “It would be a shame to disturb the wildlife that has enjoyed the abandoned part of the golf course, however as long as local footpaths are maintained it sounds like a good use of space.

“People who have gardens that back onto the land may have a different opinion but it's better than houses being built.”

Another said: “This is brilliant especially to give teenagers something to do, somewhere to hang out that doesn’t cost anything, they can socialise and get exercise all so important for their well-being and mood regulation.”

Views can also be shared with the council as part of the public consultation for the plans. The online questionnaire can be found here.

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