Report Reveals Transport Remains a Real Issue for London ’12

According to a London Assembly report, transport problems remain “one of the biggest risks” to the 2012 Olympic Games.

The assembly’s transport committee published the report which found that the city’s transport network was already running at near-full capacity and during the games more than a million extra journeys are expected across the busiest nine days.

Transport for London (TfL) said it was not being complacent about the task as the authors of the report highlighted 22 “travel hotspots” likely to experience an extreme surge of demand, including King’s Cross and Victoria Stations along with the Embankment and the Blackwall Tunnel.

Committee chairwoman Val Shawcross said London would face “extreme demand on a network already creaking at the seams”.

The report said: “While on a good day the higher demand may be confined to a few ‘travel hotspots’, in the event of a broken-down train or a security incident, there would be a wider impact.

“Demand for transport services elsewhere is also possible as people seek alternative ways to make trips.

“All regular users of the transport system are likely to notice differences in 2012.”

Some 5.3m visitors to London are expected during the Games and a TfL spokeswoman added: “As the report makes clear, all 2012 transport improvements are on track to be delivered well ahead of the Games.

“Londoners are already benefiting from an early 2012 transport legacy.

“We’re confident we’ll get all athletes, spectators and officials to their events on time and keep London moving.“