County council leaders propose spending £200,000 on plans for a cycle track inside Hereford racecourse.

Herefordshire Council’s cabinet agreed to amend their budget proposals for the next financial year and set aside funding for the 1.5km circuit.

The scheme was granted planning permission in May 2016 and has the support of Hereford city council and MP Jesse Norman.

Councillor Pauline Crockett, who proposed the amendment at last night’s (January 30) meeting, said the scheme was widely supported.

“This is to allocate £200,000 from the public health ring fenced reserves towards the cycle track development over at the racecourse,” she said.

“This has been brought to full council by councillor Jim Kenyon in the past and has been thoroughly supported.

“I have spoken directly to Halo, sports authorities, councillor Kenyon and the director for public health.

“They are all in agreement with supporting this new cycle track.

“It would provide a great opportunity to increase participation in cycling for everyone.

“This would support our future plan to become a more active county which would be good for physical and mental health.”

Councillors will have the final say on the local authority’s budget for 2020/21 at the full council meeting next month.

Last year, Hereford City Council pledged £50,000 towards the cycle track project.

City councillors agreed the funding subject to the team behind the scheme securing enough investment for the plans.

Councillor Kenyon, who helped get the scheme going, said he was very pleased with the support received from local councils and the business community.

“The scheme will become an excellent cycling center and will be the beating heart of cycling in Hereford,” he said.

“It’s not an elititist project. It will open up new cycle routes for everyone.

“It’s all fits in with the ethos of getting people healthy.”

A new funding pot of £15m was announced in November 2018 by British Cycling and Sport England to invest in new cycling facilities across the country.

Those behind the Hereford scheme have applied for just under £500,000 of this funding.