With the rise in the popularity of bike racing in the UK since the Bradley Wiggins Tour de France win in 2012, many UK areas have invested in their own local cycle tracks. These are often mixed-use, with track time available for races, juniors, club training sessions and often free-use time too.
The advantages of specialist-built cycling tracks are obvious. They create a safe place for riders to train and learn new skills away from the main roads and traffic. Particularly for families and juniors, this is a great way to get better at riding without teaching things like road sense and the highway code all in one go. The same applies to racing on them as well. No traffic means the full width of the track can be used by riders safely.
Cycle racing on cycle circuits in the UK is a popular and competitive sport that attracts both amateur and professional riders. The races take place on specially designed tracks, known as cycle circuits, that are typically between 250 and 500 metres in length. Cycle racing in the UK is governed by British Cycling, the national governing body for the sport. They oversee the organisation of races and the development of the sport at all levels, from grassroots to elite.
A popular type of cycle racing on cycle circuits in the UK is criterium racing, this can also be circuit racing depending on a couple of factors. Crtieriums tend to be on simple, short circuits with circuit racing on larger circuits with more corners. Criterium races are held on closed road circuits and typically last around an hour. These races are fast-paced and involve multiple laps of a short circuit, with riders battling for position and trying to out-sprint their opponents.
Cycle racing on cycle circuits in the UK also includes time trials, which are individual races against the clock. Time trials are held on a variety of circuits, including closed road circuits and time trial courses, which are typically longer and more challenging than criterium circuits.
Some tracks that are used for racing are also used for motorsport, but function in the same way, if just a little bit wider. I’ve tried to include as many cycling tracks as I could find across the UK.
List of Cycling Tracks by Region
South West Cycle Tracks
- Odd Down Cycle Circuit
- Castle Combe Race Circuit
- Mansells Kart Circuit
- Westpoint Centre
- Marshlands
- Henstridge Airfield
- Torbay Velopark
- MOD Lyneham
- Wheal Jane Circuit
- RNAS Merryfield
West Midlands Cycle Tracks
- Stourport Sports Club
- Tudor Grange Park, Solihull
- Curbrough Sprint Course
- Sundorne Sports Park
- Evesham Velo Park
North West Cycle Tracks
- Litherland Circuit
- Tameside Cycle Circuit
- Steven Burke Closed Circuit
- UCLAN Sports Arena
- Salt Ayre Sports Centre
- Carlisle Cycling Centre
North East Cycle Tracks
- Forge Valley Cycle Circuit
- Tattershall Kart Track
- Ennerdale Leisure Centre
- Bodington Cycle Circuit
- BKCAT Cycle Circuit
- Doncaster Dome
- Middlesbrough Sports Village
- York Sport Cycle Circuit
- Brownlee Centre Cycle Circuit
- Hetton Lyons Country Park
- Oliver’s Mount
East Midlands Cycle Tracks
- Mallory Park
- Harvey Hadden Sports Village
- Darley Moor
- Loughborough University
- Leicester Cycle Circuit
East Anglia Cycle Tracks
- Lotus Test Track
London Cycle Tracks
- Hillingdon
- Herne Hill Velodrome
- Crystal Palace Park
- Lee Valley Velopark
- Redbridge
South East Cycle Tracks
- Milton Keynes Bowl
- Mountbatten Centre
- Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit
- Bovington Bomber Cycle Circuit
- Cyclopark
- Colchester Northern Gateway
- South Winchester Park & Ride
- Ford Dunton Test Track
- Blackbushe Kart Circuit
Wales Cycle Tracks
- Marsh Tracks Cycle Circuit
- Maindy Cycle Track
- Pembrey
Scotland Cycle Tracks
- West Lothian Cycle Circuit
- Grampian Kart Club
- Kames Motorsport Complex
