The Olympic 'Zil' lanes: 250 miles of road will be coned off for 2012 'VIPs'

[-:Undertaker:-]

Thanks to Jordy for bringing this to my attention;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...2012-VIPs.html

More than 250 miles of road are to be reserved for VIPs during the London Olympics. Up to 80,000 officials, sponsors, politicians and athletes will have congestion0free lanes in London and at other venues. Ordinary motorists face fines if they stray on to the reserved routes, which include sections of the M25. Challenging the fines could lead to a penalty of up to £5,000.

More than 200 traffic lights will be adapted to keep Olympic officials on the move in 2012. Critics said the plans - outlined in a Department for Transport consultation paper yesterday - owed much to Soviet-style 'Zil lanes'. In Communist times, these were used by high-ranking party and state officials to get around Moscow in their Zil limousines. For the 2012 Games it is thought that key roads leading to the main stadium in Stratford, East London, will come under the Olympic Route Network, as are routes to and from Heathrow, under plans outlined by transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick.

The network will cover the Olympic sailing venue at Weymouth in Dorset and rowing events at Eton Dorney in Berkshire. Hugh Sumner, Olympics transport director, said no public routes would be shut. Thirty miles of the network might be assigned as 'Games lanes' - reserved lanes on dual carriageways and motorways. Mr Fitzpatrick-said: 'The network will be vital for transporting the Games Family and keeping our country moving during the Games.' But AA president Edmund King said: 'The network will cause congestion for buses, taxis and other road users.

'Enforcement must be fair. The last thing we want is motorists straying into Olympic lanes by mistake and being hit with fines up to £5,000.' The consultation document listed possible effects of the network, including the possibility of delays to other traffic during the Games, tougher parking restrictions for residents, stricter loading restrictions and the need for public utilities to reschedule roadworks. Among the VIPs are members of the the International Olympic Committee and other affiliated organisations; technical officials, sponsors who provide £1billion of funding and services and members of the media. A 14-week consultation period on the proposals will now follow. The Government says the network is designed to ensure that the 55,000 athletes, officials, media and sponsors on each of the 16 days of the Olympic Games and 16,500 on each of the 12 days of the Paralympics Games can move safely, quickly and reliably between the competition venues, their accommodation and other key locations.

This is disgusting, yet another case of 'do as we say not as we do' by the ruling elite in this country - this is on the same par as the disgusting road charge brought in for inner-London by former Mayor 'red Ken'. We pay for the roads, we have a right to use the roads - not government officals and foreign officals who mostly don't pay tax and milk the system dry. A fine of £5,000 - how out of proportion and what a complete and utter devious scheme to make yet more money out of the people who not only pay for the roads in the first place, but are also the people paying for this ridiculous Olympic Games of which most of us will not even see/have no interest in it.

This calls for people to ignore the damn government for once and to hell with them all - I hope this Olympics is a big **** up to show up what a gang of utterly useless, self-serving morons we had & have incharge.

When are the British people going to stand up and stop being treated like second class citizens in our own country?

Thoughts?

[Technologic]

As long as essential NHS/Police/Fire staff can use them too i don't care, people need to learn to walk

[flatface]

As long as essential NHS/Police/Fire staff can use them too i don't care, people need to learn to walk

I agree with this, use public transport or take alternative routes.

[Tintinnabulate]

As long as essential NHS/Police/Fire staff can use them too i don't care, people need to learn to walk

I am sure they will never stop the Emergency Services from using them.

In a way this idea is good as those taking part won't complain they couldn't take part because of traffic etc. Just makes the country looks good really.

[Catzsy]

I am sure they will never stop the Emergency Services from using them.

In a way this idea is good as those taking part won't complain they couldn't take part because of traffic etc. Just makes the country looks good really.

Agree and it is a very special occasion for the UK. I am sure there has to be some pretty ruthless security measures. Fuss about nothing really.

[dbgtz]

I think its fair, if they actually have to be there like opening the games, participating in the games (obv) etc. Apart from those it is pretty stupid.

[Inseriousity.]

"The Government says the network is designed to ensure that the 55,000 athletes, officials, media and sponsors on each of the 16 days of the Olympic Games and 16,500 on each of the 12 days of the Paralympics Games can move safely, quickly and reliably between the competition venues, their accommodation and other key locations."

if it's transporting 55,000 people, I think it's a good idea to have a 'special lane'. It's not like it'll be permament and I imagine that they wouldn't just pick random roads, it'd have took proper planning.

[alexxxxx]

When are the British people going to stand up and stop being treated like second class citizens in our own country?

Thoughts?

we've invited the world to the UK for 4 weeks which never happens. the whole world will be watching. they'll be our guests. if someone important needs to be somewhere in time for an event then they should. the UK will be pretty much at a standstill for 2 weeks anyway. well london anyway.

every country does this. in italy when there's bad pollution only cars with odd or even numbers at the end are allowed to drive in the cities! get a grip.

[xxMATTGxx]

I'm not being funny but I rather make sure all the people who are taking part and what not get there on time. London 2012 is an important even for the UK and we have to make sure everything is done correctly.

[kk.]

the olympics is something which is very rare, and for it to come to the UK, i think we can all manage to live with very few roads being designated olympic roads for a few weeks.. if not, then the people in this country need to have a reality check.. if you cant handle only having 3 lanes, or 2 lanes, then man up or just dont drive.. We've forked out for the olympics, i think we can live with a few weeks of small congestion so the we can actually watch what we paid for...

anyway, dailyfail fals again