Cyclists '˜pumped' as work is set to start on new track

It is expected work will begin on the track on Monday, June 13.

The pump park, a track facility for mountain bikes, is a man-made bicycle circuit that is designed to be ridden without pedalling.

Riders use their body to pump or push down into dips in the track and pull up before the crest of a mound, converting gravitational force and downward thrust into speed.

First designed by professional bike racers to advance their skills and racing times, pump tracks can now be found worldwide and enjoyed by riders of all levels.

The Dromore track was proposed as an addition to the town park with the council hailing it as ‘an exciting development’.

Plans for the £28,000-plus facility in Dromore Town Park were approved for construction by the council early in September 2013.

In November 2013 Banbridge District Council invited members of the public to attend an open meeting to discuss the proposed new track and have an opportunity to view the design and air their views.

The facility then faced a number of set backs.

Due to the requirement for planning permission, it was not possible to construct the park in 2012/2013 as originally intended leading to a knock-on delay as no allowance was made for the project in the 2013/2014 estimates of expenditure.

The announcement work will start this month on the facility has been welcomed.

To accommodate the installation access to some paths in the park will be restricted and in particular access around the disused public toilet block and through the park from the car park at the viaduct will be limited.

It is estimated that works should take no longer than five weeks. The council apologises for any inconvenience caused, however the decision to limit access has been made in the interests of public safety.