'Olympic Family' Must Use Public Transport - Dee Doocey (Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats)

Barking and Dagenham Borough Liberal Democrats <barkinganddagenham@libdems4london.org.uk>

'Olympic Family' Must Use Public Transport - Dee Doocey

July 15, 2009 12:00 AM
Originally published by London Assembly Liberal Democrats

Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Olympics Spokesperson, today received an assurance from Mayor of London Boris Johnson that he will work to minimise the use of cars and coaches on the Olympic Route Network for the 2012 London Olympics.

At today's Mayor Question Time at City Hall the Mayor agreed to the request from Dee to encourage the International Olympic Committee to ensure that the Olympic Route Network is only used by athletes and officials whose presence at the Games is essential.

Dee Doocey said:

"The London Olympics are supposed to be the 'Greenest Games' in modern times so it is vital that they don't lead to a huge number of unnecessary journeys across London by cars.

"The Olympic Route Network is a requirement of the Olympics and it is obviously important that athletes and officials can get to their events quickly and safely.

"However the huge number of people who are entitled to use the Olympic Route Network include many people who are not directly involved in running the Games, such as a large number of 'Olympic family' members whose only need to get to the Games is to enjoy the show.

"The Mayor must take this issue up with the International Olympic Committee and remind them that they should lead by example and use public transport."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The Olympic Route Network (ORN) will consist of existing roads around London and the UK. The ORN will link all competition venues and also non-competition venues, such as accommodation.

2. At today's Mayor Question Time the Mayor agreed to write to the International Olympic Committee to ask them to instruct those people whose presence is not operationally essential to use public transport to travel to and from Games venues.