PLANS for a climate friendly car race around Bournemouth are being drawn up.
The ‘Green Grand Prix’ would be a huge boost for the town according those touting the idea.
The scheme has echoes of a proposal to bring the British GP to Bournemouth ten years ago when there was doubt over the future of Silverstone.
Council leaders were approached in 2010 but rejected it.
Now BCP councillor Simon McCormack says the possibility is ‘intriguing’ and he has raised the idea with colleagues.
The idea has been revived at the time of a growing debate about the future of the air festival and its sustainability at a time of climate emergency.
The race would use only electric cars and a circuit has already been drawn up based on the 2010 proposal.
Cllr McCormack said: “This could be a great occasion for the town especially as the track would go around many parts of Bournemouth rather than just the seafront.
“Of course there is ongoing discussion about where we take the air festival because every event, no matter how successful must constantly innovate.
“However I see the idea of a Grand Prix as very much as an added attraction for the area, not instead of the air festival.”
He added: “I have already had some positive feedback from council colleagues.”
East Dorset businessman Tony Williams of Wessex Entrepreneurs and Dorset Business Angels, who was involved in the previous approach to Bournemouth Council said: “A group of us put a plan together. We even spent days walking potential routes. We thought it would really put Bournemouth on the map.
“Even more so now it would be a great boost for the economy and the area has all the facilities to back it up. The airport for logistics, two flyovers, beaches and the hotel and hospitality infrastructure.”
The route proposed was:
Start Christchurch Road. Wide enough to accommodate pit facilities and then:
- Bath Road
- Past Royal Bath Hotel
- Across the seafront fly over
- Up West Cliff Road
- Durley roundabout
- Durley Chine Road
- Join Wessex Way
- Off at the St Pauls roundabout
- St Pauls Road and St Swithuns Road
- Rejoin Christchurch Road and complete the circuit
Mr Williams said the group hoped to hold preliminary conversations with officers and political leaders at BCP to see if there was any appetite for the plan.
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