Third of logistics sector 'prepared for the Olympics'

Date: 27/7/2011

The majority of firms within the UK's logistics sector claim they still do not feel they are adequately prepared to deal with any potential disruption caused by the Olympics next year.

According to the Freight Transport Association (FTA), only five per cent of the businesses it surveyed felt "totally" ready to deal with any disruption that the Games could potentially cause to their supply chains.

And while one-third of respondents felt they were "adequately prepared", the same number claimed they had "no knowledge" of what the operation of the Olympic Route Network would entail.

This will include restrictions on some London roads during the days when the Games are taking place, with the FTA recommending that quiet night-time deliveries will be the best way of coping with this and ensuring that the city is able to cater for the greater number of people expected to flock to it.

Natalie Chapman, FTA's Head of Policy for London, says: "The recently announced Olympic Working Group will hopefully see a stronger dialogue between Transport for London (TfL) and industry so that we can all work together towards a greater understanding of what is needed to make these Olympics memorable for all the right reasons."

According to TfL, companies representing 370,000 workers have taken advantage of the complimentary one-to-one travel advice it is offering alongside the London 2012 Olympics in order to help them prepare for the Games.

Posted by Mary Treen