Drivers and riders are being advised to allow extra times for journeys in the East Midlands this weekend as Silverstone hosts the British MotoGP.
And with legendary racer Valentino Rossi having announced he will be retiring from MotoGP at the end of this season, a sold-out crowd will be watching ‘The Doctor’ in his final British MotoGP race.
Some 130,000 people will flock to the event which has racing from tomorrow (Friday 27 August) until Sunday so National Highways, formerly Highways England, will have extra traffic officer patrols in the area to make sure visitors’ journeys are as safe and smooth as possible.
A one-way system will also be in operation on Sunday to manage traffic flow on the A43 during the peak times.
National Highways Senior Network planner, Jamie Tomlin, said:
“The British MotoGP is more popular than ever this year with the crowds returning after a two-year hiatus and with people seizing the chance to watch Rossi in action so we expect the roads to be very busy.
“We would advise anyone heading to Silverstone to plan their journeys in advance and make sure they leave plenty of time for the trip. Please follow event signage rather than sat navs when approaching the circuit and, particularly if the weather is warm, make sure you have plenty of provisions such as water.
“We will have traffic officers on hand to deal with any incidents and the one-way system on Sunday will help with the high volume of traffic, but we would encourage people not travelling to Silverstone to avoid the area if possible."
With optimistic weather forecasts for the bank holiday weekend, motorcyclists are also being reminded to make sure they stay safe and wear the appropriate gear – even if the sun is out.
National Highways will have a display inside Silverstone working with the emergency services and other partners to promote key safety messages, particularly for motorcyclists.
Traffic officers will be on hand to give safety advice and share the benefit of their experience.
Among those attending will be representatives from BikeSafe, the DocBike charity and Biker Down initiative.
National Highways Assistant Regional Safety Co-ordinator, Marie Biddulph, said: “We know that motorcyclists are one of the most vulnerable groups of road users so we are heading to Silverstone to take this opportunity to remind them, particularly young riders, of some important safety messages such as wearing protective clothing every time they go out on their bike.
“With most motorcycle accidents taking place in the summer months it is important to remember that the right kit is worn at all times, whatever the weather.
“All visitors are very welcome to come along and have a chat with us, just head over to the Family Zone.”
The racing takes place from Friday to Sunday with gates opening at 8am on Friday and Saturday, 7am on Sunday. The event is sold out so people should only travel to Silverstone if they have tickets.
There is live entertainment at the end of each day’s racing with Sigma headlining on Friday, Dizzee Rascal on Saturday and Circa Waves on Sunday
Parking over the weekend is free for motorbikes but there is limited car parking and visitors must book in advance. There is also a park and ride service.
To ease traffic congestion, the A43 northbound will be one way from the B4525 interchange to Silverstone on Sunday from 6am until approximately 12pm. The A43 southbound will be closed to through traffic at Silverstone.
From approximately 1pm until around 6pm, the A43 southbound will be one way from Silverstone to the B4525 interchange while the A43 northbound will be one way from Silverstone to Abthorpe roundabout.
Local people are also being warned of a one-way system operating on Dadford Road South.
For the latest updates on traffic, National Highways provides live traffic information via its website,www.trafficengland.com or follow @HighwaysEMIDS on Twitter.
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