09/07/2012
The 2012 Olympics are almost upon us and the excitement is already reaching fever pitch. At the same time there has been a rush of scare stories about the capital's ability to deal with the extra traffic and security measures, with the press gleefully predicting total road traffic chaos. But 70% of the capital's road journeys won't be affected in any way (1) and road works will be banned throughout the festivities, so the news isn't all bad!
Preparations
In fact preparations have been going on for months and there are plenty of resources available to help fuelGenie fuel cards fraternity weather the short-lived but intense Olympic storm.
Transport for London's Freight Journey Planner
Transport for London's crack Olympic Road Freight Management Team has updated its comprehensive TfL journey planner so it covers the fine details of road closures and traffic restrictions during the event, and also details the petrol stations that will be closed during the Olympics for security reasons.
The TfL freight planner deals specifically with journeys within the M25 and lets freight operators specify the size and weight of vehicles to avoid low bridges and low emission zones. The guide is also designed to help drivers plan compliant routes for single and multiple destinations. All you need to do is enter the postcode, address and Point of Interest (POI).
If you're travelling in from outside the capital, the Planner calculates the best route taking all the restrictions into account as well as pinpointing the nearest legal stopping points to each destination. Restrictions will vary from day to day, so it's vital to type in the right travel time and date. You'll findmore information here, including a detailed FAQ page. The journey planner isn't a scheduling tool and can't suggest drop-off and collection sequences, so you will still need to use your regular logistics software for that. Alternatively, you can visit https://api-portal.tfl.gov.uk/ for more advice.
The TfL planner will be updated regularly, and you can find the latest version here.
Check Transport Direct for more information about road closures and restrictions
Transport Direct also provides details of road closures and restrictions as well as modelling expected levels of congestion. It also includes real-time travel news for the whole of Britain.
Get ahead of the games...
The getaheadofthegames website predicts the Olympics' impact on London's roads and provides interactive tools for drivers. It's a handy destination for sensible advice about extra traffic as well as the latest news about temporary road changes. Here's a link. The site details Olympic Road Events, access for local residents and businesses and the Olympic Route Network (ORN) / Paralympic Route Network (PRN), the roads that link the various games venues and non-competition sites.
Sources:
- Get Ahead of the Games - London (1)
- Transport Direct - Car route finder
- Transport for London - Freight Journey Planner Help
- Transport for London - Games Data Release
- Transport for London - Deliveries and collections
