Much-needed boost for cycling

THE success of Chris Hoy in winning three gold medals in Beijing has put Scottish cycling on the map, and rightly so. Already the First Minister, Alex Salmond, has pledged to create major new training facilities around the country in addition to the new indoor velodrome in Glasgow, being built as part of the £70 million national indoor sports arena.

That is to be welcomed. But the Scottish government should not miss this opportunity to develop cycling in far more areas. Cycling promotes fitness, helps in the fight against obesity and provides environmentally healthy travel. The more people who get into it the better off we all are. The use of the bicycle is undergoing something of an explosion. Scotland does well from the growth in mountainbiking, with superb facilities at Fort William and Glentress and Innerleithen, and expanding facilities elsewhere. But the sport has never seen a greater expansion of disciplines. The traditionally popular mountainbiking areas of cross country and downhilling are being joined by growth areas like 4X, dirt jumping, slopestyle, freeride and trials. These are particularly popular among the young. Compared to our European neighbours, Scotland's provision for cycling in all these areas is not great. The government should realise the great benefits to be gained from encouraging all kinds of pedalling, and invest accordingly.