Q and A : Olympic Games lanes are open
As 30 miles of Olympic Games lanes officially open across London, Channel 4 News looks at who can use them, what it means for traffic, and what happens when those who shouldn’t use them, do.
Designed to speed up Olympic traffic, they haven’t met with universal support.
Londoners and road users took to Twitter on Wednesday – the first day they came into force – to describe the condition of the roads as the Games lanes opened.
One user, James Shrager, said: ‘The #gameslane on the m4 is an embarrassing joke. There isn’t one on the elevated section and it’s a car park. Poor athletes.”
The lanes have been nicknamed “Zil lanes” after the limousines used to ferry communist leaders in specially reserved lanes from the Kremlin during the Soviet era in Russia.
What are the Olympic Games lanes?
The lanes are roads which have been adopted through London as part of the 109-mile Olympic Route Network (ORN) to help get Olympics traffic round a very busy city at an extremely busy time.
The lanes have been painted with the five Olympic rings and aim to help traffic heading to and from the Olympics to beat the jams, much like normal bus lanes.
Who can use these lanes?
The lanes are officially open to the “Olympic family” – this includes athletes competing and their staff, officials presiding over the Games and the world’s media…but not buses.
What can we learn from the Olympic lane experience? Read Jon Snow's blog
Can cyclists use them?
Officially, yes. However, a spokesman said that as 95 per cent of lanes are on the offside of the road, cyclists would not be riding there anyway. The other 5 per cent of roads are on the nearside and would be more attractive to cyclists.
Are these lanes open all the time?
No. The majority will be open from 6am to midnight throughout the build-up to the Games, and the actual days of events themselves. However, Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged the lanes can be opened up to regular traffic if there is no demand from Olympic vehicles. On Wednesday morning, the day the lanes opened, only 25 per cent were in use as there was little traffic.
So how will I know if I can use them?
Motorists should check the roadside electronic Variable Message Signs (VMS) which will clearly state whether the Games lanes are being enforced or not using one of the following two messages:
Games Lanes OPEN to general traffic: “All traffic use Games Lane”
Games Lanes CLOSED to general traffic: “Games Lane now Games Vehicles only”
What happens if people ignore the signs and drive in a designated Olympic Games lane?
Watch out – there is a £130 fine for those vehicles which do not have permission to use the lanes. There are portable roadside cameras with ANPR – Automatic Number Plate Recognition – that can recognise such cars. You won’t feel a thing – until the £130 fine letter drops on to your front doormat.
Any illegally parked vehicles e.g. on the kerb will be removed to a vehicle pound and may incur a release fee of £200.
So when the Olympics finish, no more of these lanes?
When the main Olympics finish on Sunday 12 August, the lanes will then revert to normal traffic lanes. However, when the Paralympics begin on 29 August, the lanes come back into force until Sunday, 9 September.