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Petition for velodrome in West Midlands resubmitted as support grows

An 8,000-strong petition calling for a cycling velodrome to be built in the West Midlands as a legacy of the Commonwealth Games has been resubmitted.

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Former World Cycling champion Hugh Porter, Halesowen Cycling Club chairman David Viner, and campaigner Charlie Dickens handed over a petition to Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward in support of a new velodrome in April 2019.

The petition, which then contained more than 6,000 signatures, was handed to Birmingham City Council leader Ian Ward by campaigners in April 2019.

Now it has been resubmitted to the council leader – after attracting a total of 8,071 signatures – together with a 110 page PDF document to support the move.

It comes as cycling events for the Birmingham event are set to be held at the London Olympic velodrome instead of in the city – more than 130 miles away.

Campaigners have called for a velodrome to be built in the region which could be used by clubs and young cyclists in a bid to boost participation in the sport.

A spokesman from the campaign group said: "We have resubmitted the petition which is now numbered 8071 together with a 110 page pdf document to Councillor Ward and co recipients.

"The documents includes well over forty letters of support plus other evidence to prove a [relatively] low cost, multi sport training velodrome built in Birmingham or elsewhere in the West Midlands would be very well used.

"Thanks to everyone who signed the petition and wrote letters. Let’s hope life gets back to normal soon and when it does we can resume campaigning for a facility the West Midlands should have had years ago. Please help to get the word around."

The campaign launched by David Viner, a keen cyclist and trustee of Halesowen Cycling Club, and Charlie Dickens from Stourbridge, who wanted an indoor multi-sport training centre to be built as a legacy of the Commonwealth Games.

And notable supporters of the proposal includes Wolverhampton cycling legend Hugh Porter, Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman along with three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond.

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