Bedford Driving Lessons

Motorists will be banned from using Games lanes reserved for ‘marketing partners’ as well as athletes. The fact that London 2012 is just two years away was marked by the sight of Sir Chris Hoy gliding around the partly built velodrome on Tuesday. But motorists discovered today that they are unlikely to be able to travel through the capital with quite as much ease during the Olympic Games. It was announced that 60 miles of road lanes are to be reserved for use exclusively by the “Olympic family” – and not just meaning Usain Bolt and around 24,000 other Olympians with their teams, but also an additional 25,000 “marketing partners”. The idea is that the “Games lanes” will enable swift and safe transport between accommodation and venues, while regular road users who encroach risk a £200 fine. But it was the move to allow sponsors on to the express routes that attracted the most criticism. Richard Tracey, spokesman for the London assembly Conservative group, said: “Everyone wants to see the city put on a great show to the world and we accept that athletes have to get to their competitions on time. However, what I do not accept is the need for armies of officials to be ferried about.” The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and the government accepted that drivers will experience annoying delays, but stressed that the long-term benefits the Games would bring in transport infrastructure would outweigh the negatives. The lanes will typically be open from 6am to midnight, and will run along sections of roads in central, east and west London, including Euston Road outside St Pancras and Euston railway stations, Park Lane near Hyde Park Corner, and the Mall near Buckingham Palace. Tracey said that because some sponsors would be staying in “plush hotels in the West End” the major route along Park Lane would be partly closed. Theresa Villiers, the transport minister, admitted Londoners’ daily journeys might be affected, but said the improvements made to the capital’s transport network would leave a “lasting legacy” for those living in the capital. “Experience in other host cities clearly shows how vital this network is for enabling the world’s greatest athletes to get where they need to be,” she said. “There’s no doubt that the Olympics will have an impact on many of the daily journeys made by Londoners, but the government, the mayor and London 2012 are working hard to ensure we keep the capital moving.” The lanes form part of a wider Olympic route network (ORN), which will cover more than 100 miles of London roads and a further 171 miles around the rest of the country. Not all roads in the ORN will have Games lanes, but they will be subject to side road closures, banned turns, changes to traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, adjustments to bus and coach stops and the temporary suspension of bus stops, although roads along the ORN will be kept free of roadworks. Motorists flouting rules will face a £200 fine for all contraventions on Olympic routes. More