Extra £2m for Welsh sports facilities includes pool access and cycling projects

At least six swimming pools in Wales are to receive equipment designed to make getting into and out of the water easier for disabled people and older adults, as part of an extra £2 million for sports facilities.

The Welsh Government announced the funding on 30 September. It will be distributed through Sport Wales and takes the total capital allocation for 2026-27 to £13 million. That is £2 million above the £11 million total implied before the addition, an increase of about 18%, calculated from the announcement.

What the money supports

A project with Swim Wales will fund pool pods at a minimum of six pools. The government describes the installations as providing easier and more discreet access to and from the water.

The package also supports a closed-road cycling circuit in Cardiff, part of a larger project ahead of the Tour de France coming to Wales in 2027. Planned uses include school and club sessions, community activities, coaching and competitions.

At Carmarthen Park Velodrome, plans cover replacing existing floodlights with LEDs and adding lighting columns at both bends. Further funding will go to the Energy Savings Grant scheme, which the government says was oversubscribed in its previous two application rounds. An artificial pitch project is also included.

What is still to be confirmed

The release does not name the six or more pools, give a project-by-project allocation or set completion dates. The £2 million is funding for the wider package, not the cost of the Cardiff circuit alone. The announcement does not mean the facilities are already open.