Changes to Olympic Transport Plans

The application for approval of the travel plan submitted by The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) was considered by the Planning Board at its meeting on 24 May.  Members made it clear that their preferred option was to require special arrangements for patients undergoing treatment at hospitals in the London Bridge area and elsewhere in London;  but this option wss not available for legal reasons.  In order to allow the Council to distribute notices about parking arrangements as soon as possible, therefore, the application was approved as submitted.

Two changes have been announced since the plan was approved.

Road Closures

The closure of the road through Greenwich Park has been brought forward as a result of recent bad weather.

Motor Vehicle access: Vehicle access to The Avenue will close (with consequential disruption of traffic on alternative routes such as Maze Hill) from 11 June until 1 October.

Cycle access: From 11 June to 6 July, and from 8 September to 1 October, access to The Avenue for cyclists will be possible between the hours of 6.00am and 8.30am and then from 5.30pm until Park gates close. The Avenue will be closed to cyclists as previously announced from 7 July

Pedestrian access: Pedestrians will be able to walk alongside The Avenue through a clearly marked route until 7 July, when the majority of the Park closes for the Games, and then again from 8 September.

Temporary footbridges over Romney Road and Shooters Hill Road

This month will also see work begin on the temporary footbridges over Romney Road and Shooters Hill Road as part of the transport plan for Games. There will be some temporary overnight road closures in these areas while the bridges are being constructed.

-       Romney Road will be closed overnight from 9pm to 5am on both Sunday 17 June and on Monday 18 June. Traffic will be diverted via Shooters Hill Road.

-       Romney Road may also be closed overnight from 9pm to 5am on both Sunday 24 June and on Monday 25 June from 8pm to 6am.Traffic will be diverted via Shooters Hill Road.

-       Romney Road will also be closed overnight to traffic on both Monday 17 September and Tuesday 18 September from 9pm to 5am for the dismantling and removal of the temporary spectator footbridge. Traffic will be diverted via Shooters Hill Road.

-       Shooters Hill Road will be closed overnight between Charlton Way and Prince Charles Road on both Thursday 21 June and on Friday 22 June. Traffic will be diverted along Charlton Way.

-       Shooters Hill Road may also be closed overnight on both Tuesday 26 June and on Wednesday 27 June. Traffic will be diverted along Charlton Way.

-       Shooters Hill Road will also be closed overnight on both Wednesday 19 September and Thursday 20 September from 9pm to 5am for the dismantling and removal of the temporary spectator footbridge. Traffic will be diverted along Charlton Way.

Closures at London Bridge Station

The approved travel plan included the timetable for trains to the Wescombe Park area which included two trains an hour from London Bridge station to Westcombe Park station.  But these services, approved by the Planning Board two weeks ago, will be withdrawn from 18.00 to 22.00 on 30^th July.  The notice states

TfL and Network Rail have now released a range of information to businesses and the public highlighting that London Bridge station will be exceptionally busy at certain times throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games. To cope with the extra numbers of people in the national rail station, Network Rail will operate a one-way system at certain busy periods. 

The busiest day will be Day 3 of the Games (Monday 30 July). On this day part of London Bridge station will be ‘exit only’ in the evening between 18:00 and 22:00 to safely enable tens of thousands of people to return to London from equestrian events at Greenwich Park. This means passengers for Southeastern services (which normally use platforms 1-6) at London Bridge will need to use Cannon Street or Charing Cross stations to get their train home. This does not affect Southern passengers using platforms 8-16. 

For more detailed information about the travel hotspots at London Bridge and other stations please visit www.getaheadofthegames.com 

The Westcombe Society had originally proposed that the withdrawal of services from Maze Hill and Westcombe Park stations be confined to 30^th July.  Network rail responded that it was not possible to have special treatment for a single day and that the withdrawal of service had to extent to the full two week period.