13 replies to this topic

[kcdc230]

I was wondering if anybody has ever been clamped or fined for parking in one of the Silverstone circuit car parks for the F1 Grand Prix. I go to the GP on my own and have parked in the field car park behind Stowe for the last few years without a car park pass and have never had any problem.

However, it always says in the small print on their website 'Please note failure to display a valid pass will result in a civil parking notice.'

Has anybody ever had any problems or been given a 'civil parking notice'?

[Snap Matt]

Last year was the first time I noticed any parking tickets being issued. We always park in the main fields with Abbey as the nearest entrance. A few years ago they only ever talked about the passes being for the Sunday, but I think as of last year they said you need to display it every day. Certainly on Saturday last year we were walking back and it seemed like one in four cars had been given a parking ticket.

Hmm, that reminds me, I still need to try peeling off last year's sticker from my windscreen. That will be a half hour job!

[philbean]

AND...

(sorry to hijack this thread but was gonna start one when this appeared)


We HAVE got a parking pass and are driving in early Sunday from a hotel in Buckingham.

Google Maps says a 15min journey through Dadford, along Dadford road into Silverstone. But on streetview this seems like a very narrow country road.
Would it be a good way in?? or would it be better to take a slightly longer detour and stick to dual carriageways?

[kcdc230]

Google Maps says a 15min journey through Dadford, along Dadford road into Silverstone. But on streetview this seems like a very narrow country road.
Would it be a good way in?? or would it be better to take a slightly longer detour and stick to dual carriageways?

I would definitely use the Dadford road - it's absolutely fine and the best way to get in to the circuit from Buckingham. That's the way I always go to get in to the Stowe car park I referred to. It is a little back lane, but always flows well, especially if you head in to the circuit nice and early. You go past a couple of farmers fields that offer camping and parking, and then the entrance to the Stowe car park is on the right.

It didn't used to be very good - I remember in '92 queueing almost from Buckingham on that road, and it took a good couple of hours just to get in to the car park. Mind you, that was also the year when it took us 6 hours to get out of the car park... Great that Mansell had won the race, but I just remember having the hump that I was missing the Cleveland Champ Car race on Eurosport!!! Funny the things you remember, eh?

[phil1993]

In terms of travelling time, what are the usual delays on race day? I'm coming from Basingstoke and it usually takes c.90 mins but I've never been on race day. What would be a good time to leave in the morning if I want to get there at 8.30 for GP3? Thanks.

[Snap Matt]

In terms of travelling time, what are the usual delays on race day? I'm coming from Basingstoke and it usually takes c.90 mins but I've never been on race day. What would be a good time to leave in the morning if I want to get there at 8.30 for GP3? Thanks.

I'll be driving in from Newbury and would expect it to take about 90 minutes. What you lose in queues for the car park, isn't that much more than you gain from it being a Sunday morning. Getting home is usually worse.

[phil1993]

Have you been before then? Yeah, I dont really mind about the time taken going home. For me it would take longer to walk from the car park to the grandstand than driving from home to Silverstone

[JML]

Hi,
In line with the hijack, I'm staying in Banbury, close to the train station and some people suggest me to do the Banbury - Silverstone ride by bike, traffic jam is awful. I'm considering it but have no idea of the geography, is it flat or up and down through the hills?

Thanks!!

[Snap Matt]

Have you been before then? Yeah, I dont really mind about the time taken going home. For me it would take longer to walk from the car park to the grandstand than driving from home to Silverstone

I've driven in every year since 2004. I've tended to find, oddly, that Friday is the worst traffic day as there are too many people trying to go different ways. By Sunday most people know where they are going and are all going the same way. It can look like there is a massive queue on the A43, but even when there have been broken down cars blocking a lane, you still move at a steady pace in the morning. We do tend to go a little later and perhaps the traffic is worse first thing as people with GA tickets may need to stake out a good place to watch from.

For Basingstoke I'd allow 2 hours driving, on the basis of 30 minutes to Newbury and then going A34, M40, A43, plus however long you think it will take to get to where you plan to spectate from.

[phil1993]

Thanks

[philbean]

Whats the story with the 'official' carparks? Can you chose which one to go on or are you just diverted onto the nearest one by the parking attendants?

[Snap Matt]

Whats the story with the 'official' carparks? Can you chose which one to go on or are you just diverted onto the nearest one by the parking attendants?

Pretty much the latter.

Edited by Snap Matt, 02 July 2010 - 16:07.

[agent99]

I just thought I'd mention there's parking in Silverstone Village through Silverstone Primary School if anyone's still stuck. This is what I'm doing this year as, although there are 2 of us going, we booked at different times and so no parking at the circuit was available. Hope this helps!

Silverstone Primary School Parking

[covphoenix]

I just thought I'd mention there's parking in Silverstone Village through Silverstone Primary School if anyone's still stuck. This is what I'm doing this year as, although there are 2 of us going, we booked at different times and so no parking at the circuit was available. Hope this helps!

Silverstone Primary School Parking

Thats where we're parking too, and its for a good cause too, getting excited now