MP asks PM for railway station near Silverstone circuit

Towcester railway station would have been the closest to Silverstone before its closure in 1952

An MP is writing to the prime minister to seek his support for a new railway station to serve Silverstone motor racing circuit in Northamptonshire.

Dame Andrea Leadsom wants to see a facility that would also serve Silverstone village.

She said the area deserved a "dividend" in return for the "disruption and personal misery" caused by HS2.

There is some support in the village for the idea although some feel the station should be in nearby Brackley.

The first phase of the HS2 high speed rail project passes through the MP's South Northamptonshire constituency and the track will be about seven miles from the circuit at its closest point.

It will, however, run about a mile away from the site of Brackley's Great Central Railway station, which closed in 1966.

Road traffic causes problems in the local area during F1 Grand Prix weekend, including in the village of Silverstone

In a statement, Dame Andrea said: "There must now be a dividend for South Northamptonshire after all the years of disruption and personal misery for many.

"I have already written, back in July, to the secretary of state for transport proposing a "Silverstone Halt" being added to the HS2 line, which would provide much-needed transportation for the 500,000 Grand Prix spectators for just four days a year.

"I will now be writing to the prime minister seeking a Silverstone station that would be in operation all year round."

Responding on social media, many people in the area expressed support for the concept, describing it as "brilliant" idea which would "alleviate traffic in the village on race days".

On the other hand, some felt it would create extra noise around the village and would be another "white elephant" scheme which would not be viable.

A number of comments pointed out that a station in Brackley, close to where the line would run, would make more sense even if it used the "Silverstone" name.

A record 480,000 people attended this year's British Grand Prix weekend

The idea of a Silverstone railway station has been suggested by Sustainable Transport Midlands - a campaigning organisation started by Harry Burr from Weedon when he was just 14.

It would be part of a proposed route linking Northampton with Banbury in Oxfordshire.

Silverstone Circuit has been approached for comment.