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Traffic arrangements announced for 2009 Formula 1(tm) Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Northamptonshire

HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release (IAG/01/09) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 30 April 2009

British Grand Prix Inter Agency Group PRESS RELEASE

Traffic access arrangements for the final Formula 1(tm) Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone in Northamptonshire have been announced.

The arrangements for the Grand Prix on the 19, 20 and 21 June 2009 will be very similar to the past five years. The traffic management put in place will help race goers to get in and out of the event as smoothly as possible, with cross-country traffic kept separate from race traffic.

Drivers who use the A43 and local residents are being given advance notice of these changes and diversion routes so they can plan their journeys or make alternative arrangements if necessary. Non-race traffic is advised to avoid roads in the area if possible.

Planning for the event has been carried out by the Inter Agency Group made up of the Highways Agency, Silverstone Circuits Ltd, Northamptonshire Police, Thames Valley Police, Northamptonshire County Council, South Northamptonshire Council, Aylesbury Vale District Council and Government Office for the East Midlands.

On 19, 20 and 21 June the A43 will be closed to through traffic between Brackley and Towcester. The road will be closed from 5am until 9pm each day and non-race traffic is advised to avoid the area if possible.
Road users heading for the Grand Prix will be directed along one-way systems, and this system will be reversed as traffic leaves the event.

Grand Prix traffic will take the following clearly signed routes:

From the M1, Grand Prix traffic will be directed onto the A43 southbound from junction 15A on the motorway. Drivers using the A5 will join the A43 at Towcester.
* South of Towcester, cars will leave the A43 to follow the A413 into the circuit at Winterhills for the external car parking.
* Official vehicles and coaches will continue onto the A43 to the Dadford Road interchange to enter either the circuit main entrance or the adjacent coach park.

Drivers approaching via the M40 will leave the motorway at Junction 10, as directed and continue along the A43 towards Brackley.
* Cars will be directed to Dadford Road and will access the circuit's west car parks.
* Coaches and official vehicles will use a split route that allows access to the circuit main entrance and coach park.

Diversions will be set up for drivers not heading to the Grand Prix and these will be well signed:

* Southbound traffic will be diverted to Junction 15 of the M1, along the A508 to Milton Keynes, the A422 to Buckingham and A421, rejoining the A43 south of Brackley.
* Northbound traffic will leave the A43 at the A421 junction to Buckingham, the A422 to Milton Keynes and the A508 to M1 Junction 15.
* Local diversions will also be set up for light traffic.

Chair of the Inter Agency Group Jean Morgan, Chief Executive of South Northamptonshire Council, said:
"We have done everything possible to ensure that local residents and businesses are disrupted as little as possible whilst allowing spectators to get to and from the event easily. Everyone has been very cooperative and understanding. All local people recognise the importance to the economy and the prestige that comes with having such a major international sporting event on our doorstep."

Paul Sinfield, Highways Agency Route Performance Manager for the A43, said:

"We have used the experiences of the last five years to do everything we can to reduce delays and make journeys easier for everyone attending the Grand Prix, and also for long distance drivers too.

"We would urge everyone using the roads in the area over the Grand Prix weekend to plan their journey in advance and leave extra time as the roads will be busy and clearly signed diversion routes will be in place.

"We will use our motorway message signs to give road users information about diversion routes and delays, and provide up to the minute traffic information using local radio and our own DAB Traffic Radio service. For the first time this year you can also access a mobile version of our website using your phone while stopped for a break, or as a passenger."

Chief Constable Peter Maddison of Northamptonshire Police, said:
"One very positive feature of my time as Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police is the Force playing a significant part, together with our partners, in ensuring that Silverstone is not only a safe event but also one which is now extremely accessible.

"The latter aspect is fundamentally down to the improvements made to the road network and the closure of the A43 on all three days of the British Grand Prix, which has been integral to the evolving and successful traffic plan for the event.

"We will continue to work hard with our partners to ensure another smooth and safe event, not only for race goers attending Silverstone but also those people who live and work close to the circuit and who face temporary disruption."

Detailed access arrangements will be given to residents between now and the Grand Prix for each of the villages affected by the closures and diversions, including the impact on school and public bus services, to keep disruption to a minimum.

ENDS
Notes to Editors

1. Further information about travel arrangements and local impact will be made available at regular intervals between now and the Grand Prix

2. During the Grand Prix weekend there will be regular traffic bulletins on local and national radio
.
3. Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is available:
a. From the web at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo or the mobile website at http://www.highways.gov.uk/mobile
b. By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).

4. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 4p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary)

Issued on behalf of the IAG by the Highways Agency.