Construction has already begun on our 1km tarmac, fenced and floodlit facility with a grand opening in March 2023
We now want to start work on the 2023 weekly time table of activities and want to hear about how you, and your organisation would like to use the circuit.
Thursday night racing? Before-work training? Beginner sessions? Club activities? Youth coaching? Park Run? Demo days? All-ability cycling? How will you use it?
The circuit was made possible because of the demand by many clubs and individuals. Please come along to describe your activities and find out how you can make best use of the time when it’ll be open.
Volunteers behind the West Lothian Cycle Circuit celebrated this week when it was announced that construction will begin in September on the £1.25 million world class facility in Linlithgow.
The new amenity at Linlithgow Leisure Centre is a 1km traffic-free, tarmac circuit made up of 4 loops that will be fenced and floodlit for all year round use by cyclists, runners and all-ability users.
The community-led project, managed by local charity Linlithgow Community Development Trust (LCDT) will provide an exciting range of supported cycling sessions for people of all ages and abilities from across West Lothian.
Carole Racionzer, Chair of LCDT, says “This amazing 1km facility is designed for the whole community. People will have access to a safe, traffic-free space for learning to ride, for cycle sport and for enjoying the outdoors.”
The total project is expected to cost £1.25 million. £636,000 has been provided via the Scottish Cycling and Sportscotland Cycling Facilities Fund, which aims to deliver a lasting impact from the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, hosted in Glasgow and Scotland in August 2023. West Lothian Council is providing £349,000 with the remaining costs met by a range of external funders, including community fundraising.
Sophie McCall, Scottish Cycling Head of Development & Participation said, “Scottish Cycling is delighted to be able to invest in the development of this facility, and we look forward to continuing to work with local partners to bring the circuit to life and ensure it has a lasting impact for both the local community and the cycling community”
LCDT’s plans to build a 1km circuit began after a community consultation in 2012 and the charity have since been campaigning and fundrasing, with an impressive £77,000 donated through community fundraising.
Carole says, “After all the hard work and millions of hours of volunteer time, we are so excited to finally realise our vision in Linlithgow. This has been a true partnership between so many organisations and we can’t wait to see the facility in action, a fantastic outcome for cycle-sport, for community development, for active travel and for cycling tourism.
Local cycling club West Lothian Clarion have backed the project from the outset, with the new facility providing much needed space to deliver more coaching sessions and reduce its waiting list.
Clarion coach Matthew Ball says, “This will be a game changer for cycling in the region. We want to build a community around the the circuit and make it a ‘cycling hub’. The Clarion and other local clubs will organise races and coaching sessions for adults and youngsters, so Linlithgow will be a real hotspot for cycling.”
The circuit has a wide ranging user group including the general public, as Carole explains: “Cycling, running, triathlon and even skating groups want to book the facility. But everyone can use the circuit in public sessions, just like using the swimming pool. If you feel a bit wobbly on a bike, this is the place to build your confidence either with a bit of coaching or just riding about in a safe space with friends.”
The running community have been long time supporters, Angus Gallie, President of Linlithgow Athletics Club, says, “LAC are proud to have been involved and supportive of this project from its concept. We are looking forward to using the circuit for club sessions involving experienced runners, joggers and beginners. A great day for the power of community effort.”
Fraser Falconer, who spearheaded the project for 6 years as former chair of LCDT, says, “This is a great achievement for the Trust and all of the West Lothian Cycle Circuit volunteers. We wouldn’t be here without our funding partners, and the work West Lothian Council has done to procure and build this excellent facility. Many individuals and organisations have donated funds and time to get this project across the line. Thank you all so much.”
Over £1.2million has been raised so far but one of the major success stories of our fundraising campaign has been the £77K raised through community fundraising. Cyclists, triathletes, runners, their respective clubs and the wider local community have got involved, volunteered, donated and raised funds to help realise our ground-braking cycle circuit project
The #RollerChallenge (see video) was just one initiative where cyclists from youngsters to superstars rode their rollers and donated to the fundraiser and raised over £6000 in the process!
16 local cycling, triathlon and running clubs have made donations which goes to show the support a cycle circuit has across Scotland, with clubs as far away as Stonehaven making a contribution
Other fundraisers have included the sale fo mugs, prints and calendars and of course we raised over £33,000 with our amazing #LetsBuildit Crowdfunder
The cycle circuit will give a massive boost to peoples’ mental and physical health by by providing a safe space to form a habit of a healthier lifestyle. Our project will create a supportive community hub linking all of West Lothian’s outdoor facilities like Beecraigs, SUSTRANS paths and pump tracks, creating a more sustainable, healthier and better connected community
A selection of photos from 4 weeks coaching and the Santa Cyclo Cross
For a month prior to West Lothian Clarion‘s annual Santa Cyclo-Cross race, the club had been coaching adults and youngsters in the fun off-road discipline that’s a great grass-roots way to get into racing.
The plan worked! The 2021 event broke records with more folk than ever before taking part in the fancy-dress event. Over 150 Santas, elves, Christmas puddings, unicorns and reindeers of all ages rode around the course in the grounds of Xcite in Linlithgow, with over £1000 raised in the sale of merchandise and refreshments.
The event and proved that the best way to get people cycling is to develop a community spirit around a cycling hub and provide fun sessions to coach and build confidence in folk who may not have cycled for some time.
The coaching and racing took place where the West Lothian Cycle Circuit is planned and is a great template to develop and build upon once the 1km traffic free facility is constructed.
The bicycle is a machine that fights climate change and furthermore, we believe our project will get more people cycling by providing a fun, safe traffic-free space to build confidence and develop skills.
Swinging a leg over a bike after a break from cycling can be an intimidating experience for folk who haven’t cycled since a child, or older people who want to get moving on two wheels. But our bicycle boosting space will be the ideal remedy for two wheeled nerves and help develop a cycling habit.
The community focus and cycling development ‘pathway’ at the core of the West Lothian Cycle Circuit will make it the ideal facility for young people to improve their ‘Bikability’ skills and for adults to return to the joys of riding a bicycle again.
Our goal is to get more folk cycling, boosting active travel in the area, and reducing our impact on our environment.
West Lothian Cycle Circuit 