Olympic Park 2012

The latest initiative announced by London Mayor Boris Johnson is a 11.5 Million pound investment in the local cycle routes and walk ways. The intention is to encourage spectators to be active, and also to improve the existing cycling infrastructure in London. I like it but not for either of these reasons.

ODA Chair John Armitt said: ‘London 2012’s aim is for 100 per cent of spectators to get to the Games using public transport, walking or cycling’. An impressive ambition to be sure, but the investment seems targeted at the walking/cycling more than the public transport side. According to Builder & Engineer Online:

“The ODA’s investment will see two new walking and cycling paths created and six more significantly improved. The new cycling paths will stretch from Finsbury Park to Victoria Park, where 5,000 new bike spaces will be provided for Games-time use, and from Epping Forest and the Wanstead Flats to Stratford.”

As a cyclist part of me is very pleased, but as everyone who has used the tube or busses in London will know, the public transport system is pretty creaky, what with having been built so long ago. There already exists a network of cyclepaths, canal towpaths and greenways that is used for commuting and it could do with a little work but nothing compared to the London underground.

Cycle route map from ODA

Perhaps the real benefit of this might be that is helps develop a ‘London Olympic brand’. Since the handover ceremony at Beijing, which most people feel was a poor representation of what UK could offer the world in 2012, Brits have not really developed an idea of how to package the games and make it uniquely ‘British’ or special. We are pretty good at being understated, but it would be a shame if this translated into a complete lack of inspiration. If ‘active spectatorship’ is one of the definining characteristics of the games, I’d be pleased. It that a ‘British’ thing? Probably, but even if it isn’t yet, it could still be.