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POSSIBLE PROPOSED NEW SUPER PRIX CIRCUIT LAYOUT
Alternative Super Prix layout for Digbeth
Key to map:
1. One side of dual carriageway to be used as race track, the other
side to be used as pit lane. PC World etc. car park (or several alternatives)
to be used as paddock area just behind pits. Pit lane exit just before
roundabout that used to be Halfords Corner.
2. Turn right onto long straight down Belgrave Middleway past the Mosque.
One of the best parts of the old circuit, but was not much good from a
spectators point of view. With this layout only one side of the dual carriageway
is used as the track, the other side could be used for excellent spectator
viewing, grandstands etc.
3. Fast right turn into Sherlock Street. Again one of the best parts
of the old circuit with plenty of incidents. The alterations to the traffic
island to incorporate a gravel trap and run off area are still there.
4. Hospitality facilities could be located on the same location as
before on the grassed area outside Matthew Boulton College. This time however,
Bristol Road would still be open to traffic so easy access and VIP parking.
5. Very sharp right turn into MacDonald Street. Cars would need
to slow right down here before heading up a fast but moderately winding
section. The area around the road opens up here and could make excellent
spectator viewing. Slightly run down at the moment but could easily be
tidied up to be made to look good, which I would have thought would appeal
to people living there. (not too much housing, mostly business)
6. Paragon Hotel – very large (250 rooms) 3 star hotel fronting right
onto the circuit. Could be used as a central feature or base for the event.
A bit out of the way at the moment so I would have thought that they would
be able to see the huge commercial possibilities for themselves. Could
become known nationally and be a feature of the circuit.
7. Very sharp right into Bradford Street. Not an ideal corner for a
race circuit as 90 degrees and not too wide to start with, but widens as
you turn out. No real chance of overtaking under braking into it so drivers
could just concentrate on getting around it without having to worry too
much about what was behind them. Moderate straight upwards hill in Bradford
Street.
8. Wide sweeping right turn into the top end of Camp Hill. Again should
be quite fast and spectacular, with excellent possibilities for spectator
facilities
9. Very good views and plenty of room for both cars and spectators
with only one half of very wide dual carriageway needed for the circuit.
10. Large sweeping island that could be set out either way depending
on whether or not you wanted to have a fast sweeping section with a moderately
fast right hand curve, or somewhere to slow the cars down a bit by taking
them around the island.
11. Build a slip road across the central reservation as the run in
to the pit lane on the other side of the dual carriageway.
12. Highgate Park. Might be useful as an alternative location for the
hospitality facilities or related events.
This is only one of the variations that would be quite possible in this area. If the idea of using one side of a dual carriageway as a temporary pit lane is practical (which I think it is, given some thought) then there are other possible locations around the circuit that could be used if this suggested location proved unsuitable. Other possible variations to the layout itself, would be to continue down Sherlock Street, past MacDonald Street (number 5 on the map) and turn right into the Markets area. This could be an excellent section of the circuit with wide sweeping curves and plenty of room for spectators and leads onto the bottom of Bradford Street and would rejoin the circuit as laid out on the map at point 7. The main drawback to this alternative is that quite a bit of work has been carried out on the roads in the Markets area, partly to discourage illegal street racing late at night, and so setting it up as an “official” race circuit might I suppose be seen as encouraging this.
Another possible source of objections is that some of the area around Digbeth is being talked about as being redeveloped over the next few years. The suggested circuit layout would not affect this too much as it would fringe it, but it would only be natural that people would be concerned as to the effects locally of the Super Prix. In many cases I think that it could be argued that the circuit would “lift” some areas with them being tidied up for the residents and gaining huge publicity for businesses. Maybe some of the possible developers could be persuaded that this would be a big bonus for them. It would certainly get any developments noticed!!
Think about what this would be:
Again, if the idea of putting temporary pit facilities down one
side of a dual carriageway is a practical solution, this opens up enormous
possibilities for finding locations for tracks within the city if this
one proved totally unsuitable due to major redevelopment of the area for
instance. I already have quite detailed plans for several alternatives
at various locations should this problem arise which means the project
would not simply stop if this initial suggestion for a circuit proved unworkable.
THE OLD BIRMINGHAM SUPER PRIX CIRCUIT
This is however only one possibility. The old layout had several problems such as the pit area. In this respect we are also looking at other locations within the city and the possibility of relocating it. Do you have any ideas where this might be better run, somewhere that has good potential for spectator viewing, not too much business or residential building to disrupt and where a suitable pit / paddock facility could be incorporated? We'd certainly welcome your suggestions.
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