The Olympic Transport team at Transport for London have been working for two years to give London a strong plan that will deliver excellent Olympic transport.

Speaking to the IOC Evaluation Commission today about the Bid’s transport plans Hugh Sumner, Director Olympic Transport at Transport for London said;

“Olympic transport is always a challenge but we are confident, though not complacent, that London can deliver a spectacular Games.

“Every day 12 million journeys are made on London’s public transport network. Daily spectator demand during the Games will be around 5% of this level at a time of year when 20% of commuters are on holiday. The net result is that London will have an effective 15% spare capacity for the Games.”

“London’s unique public transport culture will not only allow, but also encourage every spectator to either use London’s public transport system, walk or cycle to the Games.”

The site of the Olympic Park at Stratford is one of the best connected public transport centres in the world. It currently has nine separate railways lines that serve the Olympic Park and the tenth – the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) – is already undergoing construction and due for completion in 2007. At Games time it will deliver 240,000 passengers an hour with a train arriving every 15 seconds.

The 12-carriage Olympic Javelin, which can travel at up to 225km/hr, will link the Olympic Park with King’s Cross/St Pancras in the heart of London in just seven minutes. The shuttle will also connect the Olympic Park with Kent in 10 minutes. A train will arrive every three minutes from either Kent or the centre of London. However, the Javelin is just a small part of what’s happening in transport across London.

London’s transport infrastructure is undergoing major improvements. A total of $30 billion is committed to be spent on transport in the capital between now and the Games.

Tony McNulty, Transport Minister: “The money that will be spent on improving and operating London’s public transport infrastructure is not dependent on winning the bid but is almost entirely already planned and committed. In addition to the £17 billion to be invested between now and 2012 a further £4.5 billion is being invested in over 2000 new carriages on regional rail services into London. As a combined package, this represents one of the largest transport investment programmes in the world.”

Investment has already provided new buses, new or refurbished tube trains and the extensive Docklands Light Railway. Almost all the transport infrastructure related to the Games is underway and will be completed by mid 2010. This includes;

<li>Upgrading the DLR with trains being lengthened by 50% and the service extended to City Airport</li>

<li>The Jubilee Line, London’s most modern Underground will have its capacity increased by 45%</li>

<li>Extension of the East London Line </li>

For further information contact the London 2012 Press Office on 020 7093 5100