London Councils has claimed that the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is being ‘optimistic’ by saying 80% of journeys will be ‘unaffected’ by alterations proposed for the city’s transport network in preparation for the 2012 Games.
The organisation stated that, given the fact the capital’s roads – which contain the core Olympic Route Network (ORN) – are already ‘operating at or near full capacity’, the ‘potential adverse effects’ cannot have been fully considered.
In a report outlining its response to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Designation of the ORN consultation, the organisation criticised the inclusion of the games’ sponsors on the list of people eligible to use the network.
Rob Kidd, London Councils’ transport policy and project manager, said the organisation was particularly concerned about the type of message this would send out about the London transport network.
‘There are no class divisions when it comes to who should or who should not use the public transport network. This is a system for everyone.’
Nick Lester, London Councils’ corporate director of services, said: ‘To minimise the disruptive impact of the ORN, we would expect the permitted vehicles using it to be kept to a minimum. ‘[The sponsors] do not have the same need to be at a particular venue at a specific time as [athletes, officials and broadcasters], and so we feel it is wholly unnecessary for them to use the ORN.’
The report also suggested the ‘needs of all road-users, including pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users, must be considered alongside those of car drivers’. Lester said the draft impact assessment did not give ‘enough consideration’ to these groups of people. ‘Given the organisers’ commitment to making the games solely accessible by public transport, it is likely that passenger numbers will be greater than normal.
‘The DfT and ODA will need to adopt a holistic approach in order to ensure all road-users’ needs are taken into account.’ A spokesman for the DfT defended the inclusion of sponsors on the list of people permitted to use the ORN. He said official partners were part of the ‘Olympic family’ and provided more than £1bn of funding for the games.
‘The Olympic and Paralympic Games are 20 times the size of a World Cup, and we are determined to provide an Olympic Route Network which will allow everyone to access and enjoy the games while minimising the impact on Londoners’ daily lives.
‘London 2012 will have the lowest number of “Olympic lanes” compared with any previous host city, while still ensuring the Games family can travel freely between key locations.’
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