Speedway track plans race ahead

Speedway is coming back to Leicester after plans for a track were approved as part of a sports complex.

The decision to include the track in plans for the centre in Bennion Road, Beaumont Leys was made by the city council on Tuesday evening.

The privately funded £4.5m complex will also have five-a-side football fields, a BMX track and velodrome.

Supporters said problems with noise and pollution had been addressed with advances in technology.

Silencers

Steve Chilton, from the Leicester Speedway Supporters' Club, said the situation would be very different from the last time Leicester had a track.

"In the 1980's the track was right next to houses on Blackbird Road and the bikes used straight-through exhaust pipes.

"These days they have to use silencers and the decibel levels have been proved to be reduced noticeably."

He added: "You simply cannot run speedway with the noise levels of 20 to 30 years ago."

It is hoped to have the track ready in time for the start of the new speedway season in March.

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