Olympic Games Lanes

[Martin]

I knew this was coming but can't resist the temptation to tell the IOC to sod off back to Geneva over this 

BBC News - 'Games Lanes' for athletes at 2012 London Olympics

anyone for a CM along them in 2012? 

[Cudzoziemiec]

My immediate reaction: Soviet officials in Zils.

[clarion]

Precisely, Cudzo.

[Martin]

I suspect they will have passed a law to allow the SRG to knock cyclists out of them with batons by 2012

[Regulator]

At least the government hasn't handed over the enforcement of the Olympic Road Network to private courts run by the sponsors (a la South Africa)...
 
...though I would suggest the Attorney General read the fine print of the bid/award very carefully, as there is no telling what the last administration will have agreed to in their desparation to win the bid.  

[Charlotte]

Among those also eligible to use the ORN will be judges, referees and umpires, about 28,000 representatives of the media and 25,000 sponsors and their guests.

I'll bet you a pound to a pinch of pigshit that this is all about getting the corporate sponsors and their lolligagging liggers from one booze-soaked hospitality suite to another.

I'll have the Brox nicely fettled by then  

[Cudzoziemiec]

In fact

The ORN will be used by 18,000 athletes and officials during the Olympics as well as 6,000 during the Paralympics.

Among those also eligible to use the ORN will be judges, referees and umpires, about 28,000 representatives of the media and 25,000 sponsors and their guests.

it sounds as if those actually making the Games work - athletes, judges, etc - will be outnumbered by the media, sponsors and "guests". Those who make it play, and those who make it pay, you might say.

[ScumOfTheRoad]

It is sickening isn't it?
Olympic Games is situated in the East End of London a (supposedly) run down area in need of regeneration. They build new apartment blocks - which are the athletes village, to be converted to flats soon after the games.
But the officials - on no, don't let them stay in the smelly East End with the athletes and spectators. Oh no. Five Star hotels in Park Lane will only do. Snouts. Trough.

The other thing that makes my bood boil - the quoted travel times of over an horu from main games site to Wembley.
TAKE THE TUBE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE - direct door to door on the Jubilee.

And Park Lanes hotels are slap bang next to Green Park Tube - again on the Jubilee. Give them all a complimentary Oyster Card. Seriously. What's the point in a city spending billions on a new Tube line then letting the 'elite' make excuses for not using it?

[rower40]

TAKE THE TUBE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE - direct door to door on the Jubilee.

And Park Lanes hotels are slap bang next to Green Park Tube - again on the Jubilee. Give them all a complimentary Oyster Card. Seriously. What's the point in a city spending billions on a new Tube line then letting the 'elite' make excuses for not using it?

You can't take booze on the tube.  Whereas in the back seat of a stretch limo, the drinks bar allows one to forget that one is in London.
If I had to commute to Stratford, I'd want to be insulated by drinkahol.

[David Martin]

I would suggest that they are informed that work has already started on the priority lanes. They are painted blue and have two of the five olympic rings joined by a careful pattern of lines.

..d

[TimO]

8.5 million inhabitants of London vs 80000 odd Olympic related users.  So 1% of the (temporary) population will have a whole bunch of lanes built for them, for a few weeks, at a cost of £25 million.

Having said that, this is about the same money as they've just spent on the first two Cycle Superhighways, so it wouldn't go all that far being spent usefully on bike "facilities".

It looks like these lanes will be built on the offside, which at least means that if cyclists are banned from using them, we won't be cycling along in the middle of the road between the ORN and the "normal" roads.

[Jakob]

They did the same here in Vancouver for the Winter Olympics and it kinda made sense.

[rogerzilla]

[fhills]

Any clues as to how they intend to actually enforce respect for these lanes?

I take it they will just be marked by paint and signs.

What to they intend to do if they find anyone in them?

Totally agree with "scum of the road"s  point - just what the hell are they all doing the wrong side of town anyway?

[ian]

I can sort of understand the need for competitors, umpires, and other officials to travel between venues without the need to venture onto public transport, which would qualify as an event in itself. Our underworld of tube trains isn't entirely known of its robust timetabling and the buses seem to have been co-opted by the mental health system to transport troubled teens between secure units. And we did for some reason decide to host the Olympics in Stratford, which certainly qualifies a deep place where the sun is silent.

But yeah, we'll be slopping corporate entertainees and assorted hangers-on back and forth from their upmarket hotels. I believe the streets are about to filled with hire bikes - I reckon if these 'officials' get a shift on they can get from Mayfair to Stratford in under thirty minutes and it'll be free. They can get a gold foil coated chocolate medal to celebrate their achievement.

[hellymedic]

I believe there'll be a £200 fine for those who transgress...

[fhills]

I believe there'll be a £200 fine for those who transgress...

Thanks for the info (seen your various useful posts and really must grab myself some Sainsbury's basics rice pudding) but can't see this being great publicity for the Olympic cause.

And of course if you were on a bike they might have trouble catching you if you chose to weave off after you'd made your point.

Or maybe they are going to borrow some of the Chinese secret service thugs who were shamefully granted the freedom of London's streets to protect the Chinese flame around London

[Barnsdale]

And of course if you were on a bike they might have trouble catching you if you chose to weave off after you'd made your point.

But will bikes actually be banned from the lanes?  Presumably enforcement will be by camera - the C charge and police surveillance cameras already in existence plus all the extra ones that will be put in for the olympics will do the job.  I'll just make sure that I don't ride the bright yellow Airnimal...

[sas]

But will bikes actually be banned from the lanes?  Presumably enforcement will be by camera - the C charge and police surveillance cameras already in existence plus all the extra ones that will be put in for the olympics will do the job.  I'll just make sure that I don't ride the bright yellow Airnimal...

London 2012 Olympic Route Network - How will the ORN and PRN work?

How will the ORN and PRN be enforced?

To run the Games successfully and keep the rest of London and the UK moving, it is essential that illegal parking and driving do not impede traffic flow on the ORN and PRN. The aim is prevention, not cure.

This will be achieved through:
– Widespread publicity and communication ahead of the Games to ensure people understand the purpose of the ORN and PRN and their importance to the success of the Games. This includes intensive consultation and engagement with people living and working on the route and information for drivers on how the ORN and PRN will operate;
– clear on-street signs;
– a visible on-street presence to deter traffic offences; and
– a rapid response service to remove illegally parked, broken down, damaged or abandoned vehicles from the ORN and PRN.

Sounds like you could get away with cycling along it, unless they bring out the automated machine guns. More information on that website.

[Greenbank]

Totally agree with "scum of the road"s  point - just what the hell are they all doing the wrong side of town anyway?

If you look at the map of the lanes (from the link in the post above) it's a minimal set required to get between the different venues; Olympic Park at Stratford, Wimbledon for the Tennis, Lord's for Archery, Earls Court, Hyde Park also useful for the IOC nearby, Wembley for football, and Heathrow airport), ExCeL, Greenwich Park and the Royal Artillery Barracks.

Further incentive for motorists to use other form of transport, what's the problem?