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News Desk
With mounting fears that there will be major traffic disruption during the Olmpic Games, Transport for London (TfL) and Olympics organisers have decided to open the “Games Lanes” during off-peak times. Originally only 80,000 people involved in the Olympics, such as athletes, officials, sponsors or journalists, were allowed to drive along the 31-mile road network. The Olympics Route Network (ORN) will be open to any car, including taxis, if needed to ease congestion following a decision by Transport for London which will open the “Games Lanes” when demand requires it.
The decision comes after the disclosure of 11m spectators expecting to attend the Olympics and Paralympics during seven weeks, with 3m additional journeys on the busiest day. These figures nourished citizens’ concerns over a possible “traffic storm” and some critics showed their disappointment over the road closures, such as the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, the largest group which represents London’s 25,000 black cab drivers. However, now any taxi, cab and vehicles in general will have access to the “Games Lanes” during the off-peak times, after TfL and Olympics organizers’ disclosure.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has praised the idea, planned to avoid the collapse of the public transport and traffic jams on the roads, and has emphasized the need to avoid chaos in the city, saying that “London will ensure that athletes, officials and other can move around the city as they need to during these Games. But I’m also determined to ensure that the Olympic route network does not cause any more disruption than is absolutely necessary”.
“We will not block the traffic on any junction or at any point I time other than when that is unavoidable for the success of the Games”, Mr. Johnson added. Then, the 31-mile road network will remain close just when it is strictly necessary, according to media reports.
Transport for London described itself as responsible the traffic management and wants the lowest level of disruption during the event. Leon Daniels, Managing Director for surface transport at TfL, said: "We are committed to delivering a great Games and to keep London moving”.
Meanwhile, Alan Yates, traffic manager of Limelight, explains the main object over the traffic management during the Games: “You have to try to minimize the inconvenient to thousands of residents. So, the life of London can perhaps go on”, he commented in a promotional video published on TfL’s website.
The “Games Lanes” are just a part of the Olympic Route Network (ORN), which will operate from two days before the Games to the end of it. The 109-mile road network, which connects key venues, accommodation and transport hubs across London, has been designed to let “athletes and officials get to Games on time”, TfL informs.
According to TfL, some measures will be needed, such as changes to traffic signal timings or suspension of some pedestrian crossings. In addition, numerous roads will be closed to the general traffic, especially during the development of different events. For instance, during the "Cycle Road Race", on Saturday 28 and 29 of July, there will be a closure of 1,200 roads along the route, beginning on The Mall, crossing the Thames at Putney Bridge and continuing through Richmond Park and Hampton Court Palace.
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