Construction is underway at the Army Training Centre, Pirbright, on Amey’s defence Regional Prime South East contract to refurbish the existing athletics track. This £500,000 investment comes as part of a wider improvement plan to provide first class facilities for the servicemen and women undergoing initial training as well as those undergoing more advanced training later in their careers.
The much needed refurbishment will include the resurfacing of the existing track with a 13 millimetre IAAF tested polymeric red porous track to improve the training and development of the soldiers at the centre. The new six lane 400 metre oval, incorporating an eight lane sprint straight, will be built to the same specification as that installed at the University of Birmingham and later, used by Usain Bolt and the Jamaican National Team before the 2017 World Athletics Championship.
The project is currently on track to be completed during spring 2019 and the replacement running track will be ready for the summer athletics season. It will be used to deliver a range of physical training activities in support of individual soldier selection, development and training.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Sandford, Commanding Officer at the Army Training Centre at Pirbright, said:
“The new running track will provide an excellent addition to the selection and initial training facilities of the Army Training Centre at Pirbright. Physical development lies at the heart of transforming recruits into the soldier athletes a winning Army needs. This track will be a focus for the fitness and pursuit of excellence that the centre nurtures in every recruit. It’s an example of investment into the Army infrastructure and is part of an overall improvement plan to ensure British Army initial training remains world class.”