DEPARTMENT FOR
TRANSPORT News Release (195) issued by COI News Distribution
Service. 11 December 2008
Plans to help
athletes, officials, and media move efficiently during the Olympic
Games and Paralympic Games, whilst minimising impact on the normal
running of London, has taken a major step forward today as
Transport Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick launched a consultation on
which roads could be included in the Olympic Route Network (ORN).
London, like previous Host Cities, will use a network of existing
roads to link all competition and key non-competition venues to
create the ORN. This first consultation outlines which roads are
proposed for inclusion and is open for the next 14 weeks.
This will be followed next year by further thorough consultation,
led by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), about the specific
measures to be used on each of these roads.
Transport Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick said;
"The ORN will be vital for transporting the Games Family and
keeping our country moving during the Games.
"We shouldn't underestimate the scale of the challenge,
the Olympic and Paralympic Games are 20 times the size of the
Football World Cup. That is why we are planning the best ways of
getting everyone from A to B now. Good transport will be
absolutely vital to ensure everyone can enjoy the 2012 events,
whilst still allowing Londoners to go about their normal business.
"While London transport will look a little different, we are
determined that the final Olympic Route Network will work for the
Games and for Londoners as well as leaving a positive transport
legacy in its wake."
The ORN will ensure that the 55,000 athletes, officials, media
and sponsors on each of the 16 days of the Olympic Games and
16,500 on each of the 12 days of the Paralympics Games can move
safely, quickly and reliably between the competition venues, their
accommodation and other key locations.
This temporary solution will be implemented in a way which has
been designed to keep London, and other competition areas, moving.
The ORN will leave a positive legacy for the city including;
permanent improved traffic signalling; the creation of a new
Traffic Control Centre; new traffic signals; and new CCTV and
junction upgrades.
This consultation is the first step in this process to enable
councils and utility companies to plan an efficient schedule of
works on these roads to keep London and the Games moving.
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said;
"A dedicated transport route is essential to the smooth
running of an Olympics and London 2012 will be no different.
However, we will listen to the views of those who will be affected
to ensure that the route is flexible and disruption to regular
travel is kept at a minimum.
"Good reliable transport is at the heart of our ambition for
London 2012 - we are absolutely determined to ensure that athletes
spend their time competing and not commuting during the Games,
worrying about how they will perform, not about whether
they'll get to their venue on time."
Today's public consultation document, which is run with the
support of the Mayor of London, seeks views and feedback on the
proposed routes of the ORN.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said:
"We are determined to deliver a great 2012 Games, in which
everyone from athletes to organisers to spectators get to venues
swiftly and smoothly, avoiding the problems that have marked some
previous Games. Our aim is to bolster the reputation of London and
the UK, and secure the long-term benefit of new insight in to how
to manage traffic smoothly.
"The network will only apply temporarily to a limited number
of roads, in certain parts of London. And alongside it will sit a
hugely improved public transport network, which TfL is using their
world-class expertise to deliver. This will mean that everyone can
share in the carnival atmosphere and travel around London quickly
and efficiently by public transport."
Following the consultation and analysis of the responses, the
Transport Secretary will formally designate the ORN in summer
2009, giving the ODA the legal authority to implement traffic
regulation orders to manage the ORN.
Following the designation, the ODA and its partners will engage
and consult closely with local residents, businesses and road
users to ensure that the measures deliver the best solution
possible for the Games, the local area, and the road network as a whole.
Those allowed to use the Olympic Route Network will be;
*
Athletes;
* Technical officials;
* The media;
* The
International Olympic Committee - including the World Anti-doping
Agency, Medical Commission, and medal ceremonies officials;
and
* Games Partners.
Notes to Editors
1. The consultation runs from 11th December 2008 to 19th March
2008 and can be found here http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/
2. Under the powers provided in the 2006 London Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games Act, the Secretary of State will designate a
temporary ORN linking together competition venues and key
non-competition venues.
3. Designation of the ORN grants the ODA ability to see what road
works are planned for the network, and to keep the ORN free of
non-emergency road and street works during the Games. Once the ORN
is legally designated, the ODA also gains the ability to consult
on and implement Traffic Regulation Orders on the ORN to manage traffic.
4. There are two distinct stages to the creation of the ORN, of
which this consultation is the first:
Stage 1: Identification and consultation on the roads to be
included in the ORN, and their formal designation by the Secretary
of State. Once the roads have been formally designated, the ODA
will be able to review any works planned for those roads, and can
develop the measures needed to manage traffic during the Games.
Stage 2: Consultation on and implementation of traffic management
measures on the ORN. The ODA, working closely with its delivery
partners and with TfL in particular, will set out the traffic
management measures which might be required during the Games. The
ODA and its partners will engage and consult closely with local
residents, businesses and road users to ensure that the measures
deliver the best solution possible for the Games, the local area,
and the road network as a whole.
Once the ORN is formally designated, and taking account of this
second stage of consultation, the ODA will be able to make Traffic
Regulation Orders on the ORN, to put in place the temporary
measures required for Games time. Traffic management measures
will only be put in place where the case for them is made.
5. We propose to include roads in the ORN to meet four sets of requirements:
* Core ORN: the main roads between accommodation, the Olympic
Park and other main venues which will be heavily used by Games
traffic throughout the Olympic Games period. These roads are
entirely within London.
* Venue specific ORN: routes to other London venues and venues
such as Weymouth, Eton Dorney and the route to Heathrow airport. A
number of these venues will be in use for only part of the Games period.
* Alternative routes ORN: included as a contingency against
disruption on one of the primary routes and only used if needed.
* Preferred training venues ORN: includes roads that are off the
other ORN routes and need to be free from obstruction prior and
during the Games so that athletes can get to and from their
training venues.
6. The commitment to have an ORN was included in the Olympic Bid,
and initial outline proposals for the network were included in the
Olympic Delivery Authority's Olympic Transport Plan published
in October last year. http://www.london2012.com/plans/transport/getting-ready/transport-plan.php
7. The ORN, and the ODA's related traffic management powers
are time limited. The ORN will cease to exist once the Games are
finished and the roads will revert back to normal operation.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport
Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk