EASTWAY SAVAGED IN LATEST OLYMPIC LEGACY PLANS

THE Eastway road circuit will be a shadow of its former self while the mountain bike circuits have been sacrificed in the latest Velopark plans, part of the 2012 London Olympic Games Legacy, Cycling Weekly has learned.

Plans to reinstate Eastway in Hackney as part of a velopark formed the centre piece of the promised cycling legacy which includes a new indoor velodrome and BMX track.

Lord Coe enthusiastically endorsed the idea.

But while both the indoor track and BMX facility appear to be safe, the road racing circuit has been savaged and there is no provision for mtb at all.

Instead, the land will provide extra housing, tennis courts and allotments.

The Olympic Delivery Authority revealed last week that the new Eastway will be on a flat u-shaped course of one mile, sandwiched either side of the A12 riders will span on a bridge.

The total size of the Velopark site is less than half that of 35 hectares promised and there is little room for a half-decent mtb course. None is provided on the plan, anyway.

Both British Cycling chief executive Peter King and Eastway Users Group chairman Michael Humphries were shocked when they saw the revised plans last week.

Humphries was particularly dismayed that the off-road circuit is no longer on the plan.

?Where is the replacement that London was promised in its bid?? asks Humphries. He points out that the riders who between them won 15 national titles last year all benefited from off-road racing at Eastway.

Peter King is equally disappointed.