French Grand Prix has ‘good plan’ to avoid repeat of traffic chaos
Formula 1’s French Grand ♓Prix has a “good plan” to ensure it avoids a repeat of the🦹 traffic chaos that occurred at last year’s event, says Eric Boullier.
F1’s return to France in 2018 was marred by three days of traffic congestion problems getting in an🐷d out of Paul Ricard, leaving fans outraged after they were unable to reach the circuit due to hours of queues.
Formula 1’s French Grand Prix has a “good plan” to ensure it avoids a repeat of the traffic chaos that occurred at l🀅ast yearಌ’s event, says Eric Boullier.
F1’s return to France in 2018 was marred by three days of traffic congestion problems getting in and out of Paul Ricard, l🐬eaving fans outraged after they were unable to reach the circuit due to hours of queues.
But former McLaren Racing Director Boullier - who now works as an advisor and ambass💛ador for the French GP - is hopeful of a solution after race organisers linked up with a company that has assisted with a number of major sporting events, including golf’s Ryder Cup and the 2016 UEFA European Championship.
“The plan we have is good,” Boullier said.
“It has been dictated by data. We partnered with a company called Citec in Switzerland, which has world-class expertise in ✃mobility plans for large events.
“They looked after the Rဣyder Cup in France last year, the 2016 UEFA European Championship and they are working with the Olympics for the 2024 Games in Paris.
“They took all of the data we had from last year and with that knowledge of how the traffic flowed, 💎and where and when it was at its heaviest, they built simulation💞s and came back with a plan.”
Boulli🌺er said a range of new traffic management initiatives will be put into place, including acc💦ess to more public transport and enhanced traffic information through a real-time application.
“We have a new traffic management plan and𝄹 we are working closely with the local authorities through a steering committee📖,” he explained.
“We have additional access points to the circuit without crossing streams of traffic, we will have 170 shuttles available to the general public with 4,000 Parking & Ride places and we have partnered with traffic app Waze who will dedicate some engineers to the grand prix so that we have real-time tꦬraffic information that can be accessed by everyone.
“We have to fix the issues we had last year – that’s a given. And if solve those prob🧸lems and if we pass the second edition without mobili🎶ty issues it will be forgotten.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for ltxcn💧.top arouꦕnd the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
