Online travel tool for Olympic Games launched
An online travel shop to help spectators plan their routes to the London 2012 Olympic Games has been launched.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is recommending that people go online now to plot their trips to venues by rail, coach, bus, river or bike. It does not have to be a London-based ‘from’ start point: the input can be a town, area, station or postcode. For the ‘to’ end point, a list of Olympic locations are given in a drop down list.
After inputting the desired journey, the page links spectators to the relevant travel provider to buy their travel tickets.
Hugh Sumner, the ODA's transport director, said: “The nation's transport networks will be extremely busy on routes leading to Games venues next summer and we have worked closely with travel providers to ensure people will be able to get to their events while maintaining background services.
“The next step is for spectators to start planning their journeys and booking their travel now they know what event tickets they have got. The creation of the spectator journey planner will mean people are given all the options before making their choice.”
The ODA says the webpage should also mean that people with accessibility needs should be able to plan the most suitable routes by looking out for stations with lifts or ramps.
The spectator journey planner was created in partnership between the ODA, the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), the Department for Transport (DfT) and official Games technology partner ATOS.
Seb Coe, LOCOG chair, said: “Getting spectators to events on time and back home again is going to make a huge difference to how people remember the Games in years to come.
“Next summer will be incredibly busy, and as much as possible is being done to make London 2012 a public transport Games. This spectator journey planner will be a really useful tool and help people decide on the best ways of travelling next summer.”