Facts and figures about Derby Arena and Velodrome

  • Central
Derby Arena is expected to open in the next few months. Credit: ITV News Central/Darren Branston

As work nears completion on the £27m Derby Arena, & the region's first indoor velodrome, here's some facts and figures on the project.

The Arena’s indoor velodrome is one of only five in the UK along with: National Cycle Centre Manchester, Wales National Velodrome (Newport, South Wales), London Olympic Velodrome and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Glasgow.

It's also one of the UK’s first Olympic legacy projects to be carried out since London 2012.

Key facts about the construction

  • The futuristic building has a footprint of 14,500m2 or 156,000 sq ft

  • The structure incorporates 1700 tonnes of steel – that’s the equivalent of 200 London buses

  • If the steel was to be laid out end to end it would stretch to the length of a marathon.

  • If all the wood for the track was put end to toe it would reach from Derby to Leicester.

  • 265,000 nails were hand-driven into the 250 metre track, over a six week construction period. The track has no finish as such other than the coloured painted racing lines.

Video time-lapse of Derby Arena's construction