Motorists contend with delays as Olympic Games lanes open
Posted by Mark Bond on Wednesday, 25 Jul 2012, 16:33 in Motorsport
Drivers passing close to Olympic venues have experienced delays thanks to the new Games lanes which are designed to make it quicker for members of the "Olympic Family" to travel around the capital. Competitors, Olympic officials and VIPs are allowed to make use of the marked lanes - 1,300 vehicles an hour are expected to do so, according to a report by the Guardian. But members of the public who decide to beat the queues by joining in will be fined £130, authorities have said. Kevin Delaney, head of road safety at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, warned drivers to stay away from Olympic routes if at all possible. "Many drivers will switch to public transport, which will also be used by many thousands of spectators, so the potential is there for even a small incident to bring London to a standstill," he said. "We urge drivers to heed the 'get ahead of the Games' advice to avoid driving on these routes during the Olympics." Congestion was reported in a number of areas across the capital this morning, including at the Lea Interchange and the A13 Canning Town Flyover. London's mayor Boris Johnson said changes to the road system were made as late as possible to reduce the impact on people driving in the city. He added that Games Lanes could be opened up to all motorists if there is deemed to be low demand from official Olympic vehicles.
