Cars are speeding along Silverstone’s main straight...but not on the racing circuit

A Silverstone resident says people are speeding through the A413 in the village.

Silverstone racing circuit in the south of the county is renowned for being one of the quickest tracks on the Grand Prix calender.

But a resident of the village claims the A413 through the village has also become a speed trap, despite the fact its speed limit is 30 mph.

Phil Bennett, who works as a city trader in London, said people are tearing along the road, which used to be the A43 before the bypass was built.

He says his pet cat has been hit twice already and now he is trying to get something done about the speeding, before a person is seriously hurt.

He said: “Someone has to decide that enough is enough,” he said.

“Maybe its the people who haven’t driven through the village before. But some of these guys are continuing to drive at the same speed through the village as they were on the carriageway.”

Mr Bennet, 43, is calling for Northamptonshire County Council to either install an average speed camera along the road, which is regularly used by people travelling to Whittlebury Hall and Silverstone racing circuit, or to impose other measures to force people to slow down.

He has also contacted Northamptonshire Police, South Norhamptonshire Council and a number of others to see action taken.

He claims that a test carried out by another man in the village using a speed gun revealed that only one person kept to the 30 mph speed limit during a half-an-hour spell. The average speed was 42 mph, with one person reaching 57 mph during that time.

Mr Bennett is hoping to speak about the matter at the annual Silverstone village meeting tonight at Silverstone Methodist Church, on High Street, at 7.30pm.

A Northamptonshire County Council spokesman said: “Due to the route being an A-class strategic road, it is not possible to install physical traffic calming measures.

“However, we are talking to Silverstone Parish Council about other options to address their concerns about traffic, including a Community Speed Watch initiative and speed reminder signs through the village.”