New Pathways

Andy Higgins grew up in the shadow of Ravenscraig, a place that shaped both his family’s life and the wider community of North Lanarkshire. His earliest memories are tied to the towering structures of the steelworks that once dominated the landscape. “My first memory of Ravenscraig was driving past it every day in the car – ‘that’s where yer dad works,’ my mum used to tell me continually,” he recalls. For many families, Ravenscraig was more than just a workplace; it was a symbol of stability and identity, with generations of workers employed in the steel industry.

Andy was only four or five when the Ravenscraig cooling towers were demolished, but the moment left a lasting impression. He remembers going with his parents to watch the towers come down, an emotional moment for many local families whose lives had revolved around the plant. Turning to his son, Andy’s’ father said, “That’s where I used to work kid and this will be the last we will see it.” The explosions and huge clouds of dust fascinated the young Andy, who remembers asking excitedly if anything else would be blown up. “No, that will be it for now”, was his dad’s reply.

Andy Higgins from Social Track at the Wishaw Pump Track

The loss of Ravenscraig brought major changes to the community. Higgins’ father was made redundant, but the family was among the fortunate ones. Seeing the closure coming, he retrained and later moved into the aerospace industry. “I guess my dad was comparatively young in his 30s and able to retrain,” Andy explains, noting that many older workers in their late forties and fifties struggled because steelwork was all they had ever known. In the years that followed, the long-term effects of industrial decline became clear. Higgins remembers how some former workers found it difficult to return to employment and how “drug and alcohol use increased in the local area” as people who had spent years working regimented shifts suddenly found themselves without work or purpose. The days when young people could leave school on a Friday and start a job at Ravenscraig by Monday had disappeared.

Today, Andy is helping to build something new for the next generation through Socialtrack, a community cycling charity based around the Wishawhill Wood Pump Track. The track itself sits on derelict land right next to the old Ravenscraig site — a powerful reminder of the area’s past and its changing future. Founded to help young people access bikes and safe cycling spaces, Socialtrack focuses particularly on supporting those growing up in one of Scotland’s most deprived communities. “Our only rule is to wear a helmet and have some fun,” Andy says. The project runs holiday pump track sessions, alternative schooling programmes that teach mountain biking and bike mechanics, and inclusive community groups that bring together people of all ages.

The impact has been significant. Youth crime and anti-social behaviour have dropped significantly since the track was opened. Some of the older young riders helped build the track themselves and now mentor younger children, helping them learn jumps and bike skills. Socialtrack has also distributed bikes across the community and recently received the Community Program of the Year award at the Scottish Mountain Bike Awards. For Andy the sight of children, teenagers and adults riding together where industry once dominated is a powerful symbol of renewal. In a place once defined by the rise and fall of steel, the pump track beside Ravenscraig now represents something different: a new generation finding confidence, skills and community on two wheels.