Speedway stadium campaign to go before council

Swindon hasn't hosted meets since 2019, as the Covid-19 pandemic stopped the 2020 season

A petition calling for work on a speedway stadium to continue could be considered at a full council meeting.

in January 2021 the Swindon Robins withdrew from the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to the uncertainty over their stadium.

The Abbey Stadium was supposed to be renovated to meet regulations as part of a housing development - but there have been numerous delays.

The petition calls for Swindon Borough Council to force stadium owners Gaming International to carry out a redevelopment of Abbey Stadium as there has been "no meaningful progress".

In 2022 the Robins announced they would not return to the Abbey Stadium, their home for 73 years.

In August this year, the council found that the developer of Robin Gardens - Taylor Wimpey - had not been in breach of planning regulations by beginning to build homes before the stadium was fully redeveloped.

Gaming International, which owns the Abbey Stadium, has "met the minimums required through the granted planning permission to date, but nothing more," the council review said.

More than 2,200 people have signed the petition calling for the council to force Gaming International to finish the plans.

Meanwhile, the former owners of Swindon Speedway - Swindon Motorsports - want to build a new venue at Studley Grange, between Wroughton and Royal Wootton Bassett.

Terry Russell, director of Swindon Motorsports, said in August: "I've been eager to get this site announced for a long time."

The new venue would be the home track of the Swindon Robins.