APPENDIX 30
Memorandum submitted by the Central London
Partnership
Central London Partnership (CLP) is a public
private partnership that brings together key agencies and business
in central London in order to improve the area as a place to live,
work, invest and visit. We are delighted to have this opportunity
to respond to the committee's inquiry, Going for Gold: Delivering
Excellent Transport for London's 2012 Olympic Games.
CLP supports the Olympic movement and welcomes
the opportunity to work with the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA)
to ensure that the 2012 Olympics are a success. The Games will
provide the opportunity to bring much needed regeneration to east
London and enhance London's status as a world class city, thereby
attracting further recognition and investment.
Our partners are particularly concerned to ensure
that the Games fulfil their potential to act as a catalyst and
deliver legacy improvements, especially in east London. In order
to do this, however, and to maximise the legacy benefits, it is
important that the Olympic Transport Plan (OTP) does not adopt
a narrow geographical or time perspective but considers the Games
in the context of London's wider transport requirements. This
is particularly important in the context of central London, which
will not only have a number of events, but will act as the focal
point for the cultural festival and, with its unrivalled number
of hotels, will also play host to the millions of visitors.
This paper sets out some of the issues that
CLP considers should be addressed in planning the transport infrastructure
for the Games. Some of CLP local authority members have responded
in detail; and we are therefore restricting our response to the
impact on central London and cross-boundary issues.
THE IMPORTANCE
OF CENTRAL
LONDON
Central London will act as a gateway for hundreds
of thousands of visitors to the Games. Furthermore, with over
100,000 hotel beds and a high proportion of London's major attractions,
including theatres, galleries and restaurants, central London
will be in the spotlight in 2012 like never before. It is therefore
of critical importance not to overlook the central London dimension
when considering the transport needs for 2012.
Given the demographics of central London residents,
many of the central London boroughs will have a high proportion
of residents who are likely to have visitors. There are also development
plans that would increase the supply of hotel accommodation in
the wider sub-regional area that could be convenient for Olympic
visitors. These should also be taken into account when looking
at transport provision.
Whilst resources will naturally be drawn to
the east, we urge that this is not at the expense of investment
in central London, especially its transport system. Indeed, we
would argue for additional resources, especially to be spent on
both improving and managing the public realm (see below).
MAINTAINING AND
ENHANCING PUBLIC
TRANSPORT IN
CENTRAL LONDON
If the games are to be deemed a success, it
is essential that the transport around the core, as well as to
the main venues, is as efficient and seamless as possible. CLP
stresses the importance of the much needed transport infrastructure
improvements for central London, including those that do not directly
serve Olympic sites. Therefore the investment that is injected
into London for the Games should not be at the expense of the
planned projects and capital schemes within the Mayor's Transport
Plan. Removal of capacity from the existing transport network
should be avoided.
In addition we would like to make the following
points:
CURRENT PLANNED
IMPROVEMENTS
CLP believes that the large infrastructure schemes,
such as Crossrail and Thameslink 2000 should not be delayed or
deferred as a result of the Olympics.
The completion of the London Underground capacity
enhancements and refurbishment work, along with the DLR enhancement
programme, should be expedited.
CLP seeks a funding and timetable commitment
for Phase II of the East London Line extension; this would allow
access from south and west London to the east, relieving congestion
in the centre. Phase II would also include a link to Highbury
and Islington at the other end of the core section (Phase I).
STATION ENHANCEMENTS
CLP wishes to see a commitment to overground
and underground station upgrades, especially to cater for step
free access and generally enhanced accessibility. This should
include improvements to Clapham Junction, a major transport hub,
with enhanced services and the improved town centre environment.
CROSS RIVER
TRAM
CLP believes that this should not be delayed
because of funds being transferred to the Olympics as it would
greatly assist the movement of people across central London and
would aid with the expected post-Games increase in tourism.
THE EXPERIENCE
OF CENTRAL
LONDON: PUBLIC
REALM IMPROVEMENTS,
SAFETY AND
AMBIENCE
There is a growing recognition of the importance
of a quality public realm and walking environment. Indeed, in
central London many schemes are already in place, or in preparation,
to provide a better experience of movement on foot. Providing
a world class experience of the city will be fundamental to the
success of the visitor experience. CLP partners are committed
to developing and playing their part in delivering further public
realm enhancements and improved wayfinding. Nonetheless, provision
does need to be made in the OTP both to recognise the importance
of the "softer" infrastructure and the need to provide
new funding for implementation, and help speed up improvements.
We also urge complementary temporary measures for public realm
improvements, not just traffic management.
Similarly, CLP believes that security and support
for visitors should be planned in. London boroughs need additional
resources to help the police maintain order and personal security.
Wardens—or City Guardians—funded by the ODA could
be recruited for the whole of 2012, so that they are fully acquainted
with the areas they are deployed to and can give maximum assistance
to visitors. These resources should be made available to help
cope with the safety of visitors to the Olympic venues in central
London and the other cultural attractions and night life that
will be a key part of the Olympics experience.
CYCLING
Building on the walking agenda, placing cycling
as a part of the OTP will add to the sustainability of the Games.
FREIGHT
Maintaining London's commercial activities leading
up to and during the games is essential. Therefore CLP believes
that the planned movement of freight during the Olympic period
should be taken into consideration within the OTP.
COACH PARKING
There is a need to identify suitable on and
off street parking facilities for all the additional coaches and
buses that will be used to facilitate the Games. Garaging and
parking facilities in London are already extremely limited. The
OTP should therefore tackle this issue at an early opportunity.
Assuming an increase in tourism after the Games, as has been shown
in other Olympic cities, retention of some facilities is likely
to be welcomed by the coach tourism industry but it will need
to form part of a wider London policy towards coach provision.
VENUE ACCESS
AND INTEGRATION
OF SERVICES
The venues will need individual transport plans,
including an audit of existing facilities, particularly underground
stations. This is likely lead to identifying the need for more
"step free" Underground Stations serving the Olympic
venues and the major cultural and social attractions in central
London. London boroughs need to be fully involved in these plans
with other key partners such as The Royal Parks.
We should seize this opportunity to devise a
fully integrated system, with greater emphasis on river transport,
and wayfinding, walking, cycling and surface and sub-surface transport
presented as a holistic, easy to understand package; a true legacy
for Londoners and everyone who visits London in the future. Similarly,
we would urge creative thinking around use of the Oyster Card
as an Olympic card.
MANAGING IMPACT
AND IMPLEMENTATION
There will be inevitable disruption to London
caused by the construction of new infrastructure and catering
for the Games themselves. We would therefore wish to see an assessment
of the impacts of construction traffic and clarity on how these
are managed without adverse impacts on London's progress to improve
the urban environment. London boroughs need to be fully involved
in these plans with other key partners such as The Royal Parks.
Alongside this, consideration should be given to compensation
issues for business and residents who experience disruption through,
for example, lack of parking.
We urge the ODA to ensure that the local authorities
are fully engaged in supporting transport improvements at an early
stage, in order to both support the work of the OTP, but also
to ensure that their responsibilities of Network Management Duty
under the Traffic Management Act is not compromised.
LONDON BOROUGHS'
TRANSPORT RELATED
STATUTORY POWERS
CLP supports the need to defend retention of
the London Boroughs' transport related statutory powers and not
have them taken away, possibly by allowing them to act as the
agent of the Olympics Delivery Authority (ODA). The Council's
Network Management Duty under the Traffic Management Act 2004
to effectively manage the roads for which it is responsible would
otherwise be compromised.
IN CONCLUSION
CLP urges the ODA to take full account of the
important and complementary role of central London in delivering
a world class Games. The need for investment cannot be overstated.
It is important to work in partnership as early
as possible. CLP looks forward to assisting with joint working
in the sub-region.
12 September 2005
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