Snodland Pump Track, Kent

Snodland BMX Pump Track

Snodland Town Council and Community Cycle Works had been at the forefront of the campaign to improve the cycling facilities for Snodland; their initial ideas had been around a Learn To Ride area, Wheelie Strip and an all-tarmac pump track at the Snodland Community Centre.

Consultation with the local user group, activities groups and cycling clubs in Snodland meant that the final design would include a Learn to Ride area and pump track that was inclusive and progressive to encourage the younger users to build their confidence and give the cycling club a safe and fun place to run coaching sessions.

The four straight design was implemented whilst working around site constraints like manholes, tree roots and existing play equipment to make the most of the available space and maximise the useable footprint of the track. Working closely with the user group, we gave the straights a very progressive and engaging feel.

A beginner, intermediate and expert section of the track feature starts at a low level, making a very accessible start to encourage the less experienced users to enjoy the main track. This progression is seen throughout the whole track, and the last straight was a split straight with an expert option.

The Snodland pump track project, in the grounds of Snodland Community Centre in Paddlesworth Road, was initiated by Community Cycleworks, a community interest company specialising in youth biking projects, after being approached by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and Kent Police. The track was funded with British Cycling's Places to Ride and money from Snodland Town Council, Clarion Housing and Tarmac.