Easter Track Meeting Cancelled as Palmer Park Venue Closes.

The Easter Track meeting incorporating the New KIngsbury Cup scheduled for Easter Sunday at Reading has had to be cancelled following the closure of the Palmer Park Venue. Organisers, Racing Club Omega, are not seeking to run the event on an alternative date but hope to promote the New Kingsbury cup in 2016.
British Cycling appointed an independent building surveyor to undertake a condition survey of the track and the infrastructure. In addition, in the past week a risk assessment has been carried out by the British Cycling Cycle Sport department. The findings of these separate exercises conclude that, in its present condition the track, surrounds and in particularly the fence, are unsafe for hosting formal British Cycling cycle sport events. The next stage will require British Cycling to discuss the upgrade recommendations with the council. For the avoidance of doubt, British Cycling will not sanction formal cycle sport events on this venue until further notice.'
The closure of Palmer Park is a double blow for the Southern region following the suspension of racing at Preston Park, Brighton, in January, due to safety fears. The Mountbatten Test Track, Portsmouth has also been closed for twelve months following the tragic death of Richard Phillips-Schofield in a racing incident last March.