OCTOBER 24, 2001
Parking fees for Silverstone
On top of the dramatic price rise for the 2002 British Grand Prix announced this week, it seems that race goers wishing to attend in their own cars will have to pay another $65.
Rob Bain, chief of the British Grand Prix rights-holders Octagon Motorsports, recently admitted that the traffic chaos at the Northamptonshire circuit wasn't helped by the Park and Ride system put in place. Octagon took over the running of Silverstone in early 2001 after agreeing a 15-year lease on the site with its owner the British Racing Drivers' Club, and insists that it was Silverstone's problem, not Octagon's.
"We inherited a Park and Ride scheme which we charged for," said Bain. "I think the reverse will be true next year - the Park and Ride will be free and car parking will be paid for to encourage people to go to remote sites. We also made a mistake in using the word 'Fastrack', but we couldn't have a fast track route in to the circuit. These are things we inherited from the previous management."
This reaction is hardly likely to please the 'previous management' - most of whom are still in place at Silverstone. Nevertheless, the problem of encouraging people on to the Park and Ride in 2002 is likely to be helped by the enforcement of a $65 parking fee on site.