South Australian Election 2018: V8 Supercars should be driven out of Adelaide, SA Greens say

V8 SUPERCARS have run their race in Adelaide and the popular event should be driven out of town, the South Australian Greens Party says.

V8 SUPERCARS have run their race in Adelaide and the popular event should be driven out of town, the South Australian Greens Party says.

As commuter traffic slows to a crawl ahead of this weekend’s Adelaide 500, Greens candidate for Adelaide Robert Simms says the race should be moved to another location to end the “hell” it causes for city residents.

Mr Simms said Bend Motorsport Park near Tailem Bend was the obvious choice to host future editions of the race, which has been staged on the CBD street circuit since 1999.

“Given the noise pollution and the huge disruptions caused to Victoria Park and the broader CBD, I really don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze for Adelaide,” Mr Simms said.

Greens SA candidate Robert Simms says it’s time to get the V8 Supercars out of the city.

“It is absurd that our city is plunged into gridlock during one of the busiest periods of the year.”

Mr Simms — who is a former Adelaide City councillor and Greens Senator — said he would advocate for the race to be moved if elected on March 17.

Greens MLC Tammy Franks, who is up for re-election for South Australia’s Upper House on March 17, also called for an independent review into whether the car race created more problems than benefits.

“When you have so many other events and festivals in the same city limits something might have to give and the logical choice would be the car race,” Ms Franks said.

The four-day motorsport event has historically caused traffic chaos for commuters, with restrictions in place around the city’s eastern fringe before and during the race, which attracts more than 200,000 people annually, pumping $65m into the state’s economy.

Traffic banks up on Payneham Road. February 21, 2018. Photo: AAP/ Keryn Stevens

Spectator numbers have fallen in recent years, with last year’s crowd of 244,000 the lowest attendance figure since 2004.

Opposition tourism spokesman David Ridgway said the race was a “premier tourist attraction” and should not be moved from the CBD.

But Mr Ridgway said the Liberal Party would investigate ways to “minimise disruption and traffic congestion” caused by the event.

Tourism Minister Leon Bignell said Labor had “no intention of moving the race out of the CBD”.

“The city location is not only a favourite of the drivers and racing teams, but it has also been a drawcard for thousands of motorsport fans,” Mr Bignell said.

“The economic benefit for SA far outweighs the short term inconvenience of traffic restrictions in the lead up to the event.”