Victoria Park becomes new hub for cycle training in Ashford

Victoria Park has become a new hub for cycling activity and training in Ashford thanks to a new partnership between Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and Kent County Council (KCC).

The park in Jemmett Road now provides an operational base for KCC's Adult Cycle Training programme while supporting a range of cycling activities for residents of all ages and abilities.

The move follows the loss of KCC's previous cycle storage facility at Henwood. Rather than simply replacing the storage provision, the two councils have worked together to create a long-term facility that supports cycling development, training opportunities and wider active travel ambitions across the borough and beyond.

As part of ABC’s active travel plans, the cycle hub at Victoria Park is just a small part of a much larger strategy to actively promote cycling and walking within the borough. ABC has implemented a cross political party Active Travel Steering Group, which explores how active travel can be improved throughout the borough and what can be done to make things better.

This has led to existing smart routes being resurfaced, new ones being plotted and the addition of several new secure bike shelters dotted around the Ashford borough.

Victoria Park will host adult cycle training sessions for people learning to ride for the first time, returning to cycling after many years, or looking to improve their confidence on roads.

The park will also be used for Bikeability holiday club sessions, helping children develop essential cycling skills, confidence and road awareness in a safe and accessible environment.

This initiative forms part of a shared commitment by both councils to encourage more people to choose active travel options and enjoy the health, wellbeing and environmental benefits that cycling can bring.

“I am very pleased to welcome Bikeability to Victoria Park, Ashford," Cllr Guy Pullen, ABC's Cabinet Member for Parks and Recreation, said. "They do amazing work, teaching kids and adults to ride confidently on the roads and this makes us all a lot safer. 

"We’re working really hard behind the scenes to make the Ashford borough a more cycle-friendly place and having Victoria Park as a designated cycle hub will only make our continued improvements better.”

"Victoria Park is a great location for this cycle hub and we're pleased to be working with ABC to create a long-term home for these activities," Spencer Dixon, KCC's Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, added. "Cycling is a great way to stay active, get around and enjoy the outdoors, and we want more people to feel confident doing it.

"I hope this location will make it easier for residents of all ages to access support and develop skills they can take forward with them."