• Inspection and Assessment Procedure
• Certification Classification Key
• List of Facilities

Inspection and Assessment Procedure

Introduction

Athletics tracks in the UK have been issued with certificates for many years, as a result of the increasing needs to meet Health & Safety requirements, as from 1 January 2001 the procedure placed a greater emphasis on these aspects. Each track when inspected was considered as to its suitability for competition, training and record purposes.

Applications for certification for new tracks or re-marked tracks must be accompanied by a full questionnaire completed by an accredited surveyor. On receipt, by UK Athletics, of all the required paperwork this is then passed to the National/Territorial Facilities Co-ordinator who assigns an assessor to visit the facility by prior arrangement. At this time the assessors will require to see copies of the risk assessment and maintenance schedules for the facility. An assessment is made and a report compiled using standard paperwork. Based on the report a recommendation is made as to the level of certificate to be issued.

The certificate issued is valid for five years from the date of the inspection unless restrictions are placed on the provision in which case a period of one year applies. On notification and subsequent inspection to verify that any identified works have been carried out to satisfaction the one year certificate is upgraded to the remaining part of the five year period.

Summary

The UK Facilities Team is responsible for:

• The Certification of Tracks
• The delivery of the Athletics Facilities Strategy for the United Kingdom
• The training of staff in facility maintenance
• The establishment and maintenance of close links with Track Managers
• Advising appropriate bodies on the impact of rule changes effected by changes to facility and equipment specification
• Advising clients on the design and development of outdoor and indoor facilities
• [The delivery of the Community Athletics Refurbishment Programme (CARP) in England only]

The UK Athletics Facilities Team is managed by Peter Sutcliffe and comprises more than 50 people, the majority of whom are volunteers. Many of the team are Track Inspectors who are attached to the Territories and Home Countries and carry out annual and five yearly facility inspections on behalf of UK Athletics.

The Welsh Facilities Team is composed by:

• Facilities Manager: Richard Jenkins
• Track Assessors:
  • North Wales: Stuart Hodson
  • West Wales: Dave Jessett
  • East Wales: Stuart Hodson
  • South Wales: Derek Crowder

Certification Classification Key

The new certification classification came into effect from April 2010. Tracks inspected before that date will be classified according to the old system (1, 2, 3, etc). From the 1st April 2010, tracks will be classified according to the new system and the grading of tracks inspected prior to that date will be converted to the new classification.

Class A - Suitable for all competitions.

• I.A.A.F. Certificate - required for tracks hosting I.A.A.F. or E.A.A. meetings.
• Surveys - required for record purposes under Rule 141 or performances requiring ratification.
  
  i. and ii. not required for class A certification but may be required for certain standards of meetings.
• Programming issues ( Long throws/LJ / pole vault existing tracks)
  - existing track may continue to hold events but care must be taken with the programming of events to avoid conflicts between long throws and other events situated on the infield.
• To qualify for a class A status all new builds must ensure long/triple/pole vault facilities are located either on the Ds or outside the track.
• 6 lane tracks may qualify for class A and may be used for league and other competitions.

Class B - Track with event restrictions

• Should only be used for league competitions which do not have a full range of events ( i.e. women’s steeplechase)
• Examples: No adjustable steeple chase barriers / No Hammer / Single ended pole vault

Class C - Non-standard track

• J tracks; non standard size tracks (outdoor 200m., 300m. etc.)
• Non synthetic tracks (cinder, asphalt, grass etc.)
• Certification not compulsory, on request only.

List of Facilities

Outdoor Tracks

Unitary Authority	Location	Track Name	Resident Clubs	Class	Notes
Blaenau Gwent	Brynmawr	Brynmawr Comp. School	-	B	Track Events, JT and HJ only. No Hurdles, no cage, no S/C.
Bridgend	Bridgend	Bridgend Track	Bridgend AC	C	Undersize; no pV, no long throws whilst LJ/TJ in use.
Cardiff	Cardiff	Cardiff International Sports Stadium	Cardiff AAC	A	-
Carmarthenshire	Carmarthen	Carmarthen Leisure Centre	Carmarthen Harriers	A	No long throws whilst LJ/TJ in use on back straight.
Carmarthenshire	Llanelli	Parc y Scarlets	Llanelli AAC	-	-
Conwy	Colwyn Bay	Erias Park	Colwyn Bay AC	-	Facility closed until 2012 - upgrades in progress.
Flintshire	Deeside	Deeside College	Deeside AAC	A	-
Gwynedd	Bangor	Treborth	Menai T&F	B	PV one way only.
Neath/Port Talbot	Neath	Cwrt Herbert	Neath Harriers	B	PV one way only.
Newport	Newport	Newport International Sports Village	Newport Harriers Lliswerry Harriers	A	-
Pembrokeshire	Haverfordwest	Sir Thomas Picton School	Pembroke Harriers	B	No S/C or PV. No long throws whilst LJ/TJ in progress, no HT until cage repairs complete. Track surface being repaired.
Powys	Brecon	Penlan	Brecon AC	A	-
Powys	Newtown	Newtown Leisure Centre	Maldwyn Harriers	B	No PV/SP/TJ/LJ/JT. Upgrade to take place in 2011.
Rhondda Cynon Taff	Aberdare	Michael Sobell Track	Aberdare AAC	A	-
Swansea	Swansea	Swansea University Track	Swansea AC	A	Restriction on SP at JT end if JT in use.
Torfaen	Cwmbran	Cwmbran Stadium	Cwmbran Harriers	A	-
Vale of Glamorgan	Barry	Jenner Park	Barry & Vale Harriers	B	No PV or S/C, no LJ/TJ
Wrexham	Wrexham	Queensway Stadium	Wrexham AAC	A	-

Indoor Tracks

Unitary Authority	Location	Track Name	Resident Clubs
Cardiff	Cardiff	National Indoor Athletics Centre	-
Flintshire	Deeside	North Wales Indoor Athletics Centre	-
Swansea	Swansea	West Wales Indoor Athletics Centre	-