44 replies to this topic

[Dazza]

Another breezy journey to london bridge this morning the only congestion there are the rediculous exit & entry gates which cause bottle necks !

Just open all the doors at the station & keep the Olympic information stations job done !

Dazza

[Canon]

I agree Dazza don't understand the barriers as you have people walking through in them in both directions, the only other issue is getting through to the walkways as all the people being directed to the tube block them.

Still its not the nightmare I thought it might be.

[hild]

As a cyclist I'm absolutely loving this - I haven't had such a clear run for bloomin' AGES! In particular the bits of the road network that are designated as a combination of Olympic and bus lanes as these are open to cyclists too, I've never experienced so little traffic along Whitehall before. Now, if we could just get the tourists along Regent Street/Oxford Street to look BOTH ways before stepping into the road (and make my fellow cyclists realise what those funny red lights on sticks are for) it'd all be super-smashing-marvellous!

[NickJ]

And surprise, surprise, now we're hearing that everyone's avoiding central London and businesses are complaining that it is a "ghost town".

http://news.sky.com/...n-tourist-trade

[andreas]

BBC also covering the story - yes, town certainly feels very quiet:

http://www.bbc.co.uk...siness-19059880

[Billy S]

None of this should be news to businesses who have had years to contact previous host cities.
The Olympics creates revenue for the Olympics, anything else is a bonus.

[Summit Lover]

17:45 from Clap Jct to Sutton seemed unusually rammed tonight

[nikdevlin]

None of this should be news to businesses who have had years to contact previous host cities.
The Olympics creates revenue for the Olympics, anything else is a bonus.

Yep, Montreal especially:- http://en.wikipedia....Olympics#Legacy

[kibitzer]

Went to London on bus and tube on Monday very early at 6am - a bit busy near Trafalgar Square but OK returned to CP by 9.30am - no problem. Went up to West End yesterday around 10.30am busy but everything went OK no busier than usual - returned around 3.30pm - only problem was No 3 bus from Haymarket that kept stopping presumaby to regulate service - so infuriating if you are not told why. However, the roads on the return around Whitehall and no 3 route were clearer than average for the time of day.

[Redbunny23]

I agree SL - Clapham seems much busier. In contrast our trip back from the Olympic park about 9ish yesterday was a breeze - even got seats on both jubilee and overground.

[Canon]

Which route did to the Olympic park did you take RedBunny23? Am going on Sunday from Gipsy Hill was thinking London Overground from CP to Cannonbury then change and go to Sttraford. is there a better way?

[Redbunny23]

We went Overground from CP to Canada Water then Jubilee line. It was fine in both directions - though it might be different when the athletics and track cycling start.

[Ziwa]

The Olympics creates revenue for the Olympics, anything else is a bonus.

Its looking like a loss for us. 'Britain's number one tourist attraction' (in some poll or another, but always one of the top draws) - visitor numbers are down 40% some days, 20% others. No queues, no admission charges, easy to get to, a 10-day street festival with food and music....and still not many people coming.

[Summit Lover]

A glimpse of another Olympic site for you - Weymouth where I spent some of the weekend. Quite a few roads and key car-parks closed and instead park and ride being pushed as the only alternative - except park and ride has gone up from £2:50 ish to over £14. Surcharge of £5 being reported on some bus routes - up from £1:60 for example to £6:60 which has enraged many locals.

Having said that, my partner (currently working on Portland where the sailing events are being staged from) says that traffic these last few days has been negligible and the pubs, restaurants and B&Bs etc. are largely empty, a shame for all the local business who thought they might do well in the Olympic weeks On a brighter note, Weymouth (my home town) looked lovely - all bright and shiny, King George statue freshly gilted, yachts in the harbour furnished with colourful, fluttering bunting - and was bustling with visitors.

They have quashed the extortionate Park & Ride fares at Weymouth as the town centre is pretty empty for this time of year. Also read that they had stopped Boris' alarmist voiceovers on buses and stations about 'planing your journey' and avoiding London if poss as business are suffering quite badly They have also removed the barricades forcing Olympic spectators away from local businesses in Greenwich.

Edited by Summit Lover, 01 August 2012 - 06:09 PM.

[Ziwa]

Glad they got rid of Boris' voice in the stations. I found that creepy and exploitative, even though I find his voice kind of funny and I generally laugh at his buffoonery.