Central London 'will transform into Olympics venue'

Date: 10/8/2011

Central London is set to undergo a substantial transformation next summer, as it becomes one of the venues for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Transport for London (TfL) and London 2012 have jointly announced that the area around St James's, Hyde and Green Parks will be used to host both sports and culture-themed events.

Among the free-to-view attractions that will take place on the streets being dubbed as the Central London Zone will be cycling and athletics, while large screens will be erected in Hyde Park for people to congregate and watch the Games live.

In order to accommodate these events, traffic management initiatives will be put in place temporarily to alter the way vehicles and pedestrians move around the area.

Possible changes could include rerouting bus lanes and stops and placing restrictions on where cars can turn into roads.

This will be in addition to the Olympic Route Network, which will be implemented to assist athletes in getting to the venues on time - a programme that will be introduced shortly before the Games and will end just after their completion.

TfL announced last week that business owners and residents in the Central London Zone will be sent maps and the relevant information they require to make their amended travel arrangements.

Posted by Mary Treen