Going to Silverstone for the Grand Prix? Here's some useful travel tips

Traffic access arrangements for the 2011 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone in Northamptonshire have been announced.

The tried and tested arrangements for the Grand Prix on the 8, 9 and 10 July 2011 will be very similar to previous years. The traffic management 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.

Advance notice of these changes and diversion routes are being given to drivers who use the A43 and local residents 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.

On 8, 9 and 10 July the A43 will be closed to through-traffic between M1 junction 15a in Northamptonshire and M40 junction 10 in Oxfordshire. 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 junction 15 of the M1.
• Local diversions will also be set up for light traffic.

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 and Aylesbury Vale District Council.

Graham Littlechild, Highways Agency spokesperson, said:

“We have a tried and tested traffic management system in place that has served us well in previous years and ensured that delays are kept to a minimum. Motorists using the roads in the area over the Grand Prix weekend can help us to help them by planning their journey in advance and leaving extra time as the roads on the approach and around Silverstone circuit will be very busy.

“We will use our electronic message signs on the approaching motorways to give road users information about diversion routes and delays, and provide up-to-the minute traffic information using local radio. People with iPhones will be able to check the traffic conditions using our Highways Agency travel news app, while stopped for a break or as a passenger, and you can also follow us on Twitter @HAtraffic_emids”.

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.