Travel to the Olympics...

[treehugger]

I have tickets for the Olympics and wondering which might be the best way to go... Thought about cycling, too. Anyone have any thoughts...

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Travel cards are included which is a nice touch. My event is in Greenwich park so I'm tempted to splash out on a river trip.

[DagmarJ]

the official site has a travel planner which has an option to select cycling as mode of transport

http://travel.london2012.com/SJPWeb/Pages/JourneyPlannerInput.aspx

I had a look the other day and it seemed pretty useful. i got a 1h 25' journey time, but it was tricky putting in any date/time to just have a quick time check. you need to put in realistic times/events otherwise it seems to come up with an error message (at least did it for me)

Dagmar

[LauraE]

Cycle up to honour oak park and jump on east London Line

[Applespider]

There is some information here on encouraging people to cycle to the Games. It does talking about organising rides, bike parking at venues and no added restrictions on the Underground.

But I'm pretty sure I saw a poster at Forest Hill saying that taking your cycle on the Overground (East London Line) won't be allowed during the Olympics. I remember it because I'd been planning on doing that on a couple of nights with late finishes. But I can't find any reference to it online. The biggest hassle will be getting the bike across the river since the most obvious routes over are all Games roads and will be more hectic than usual with normal traffic. I did debate cycling over to Greenwich (possibly OK on non-equestrian days) and taking the foot tunnel with the bike.

The other problem with cycling to venues in the Olympic Park is that the cycle parking is quite a way outside the Park (Victoria Park, near Eton Manor and near West Ham/Greenway) and it's not clear how it's going to work. They are saying manned and secure but then I've tried putting in the times for one of the sessions that I'm going to and the planner tells me that there's no cycle parking available at that time. There's usually some good cycle parking both inside the Westfield Stratford car park and various Sheffield Stands outside. But the carpark (including the cycling racks) are being used as a Games Transport depot during August and the Sheffield stands will be out of use too. Oh yes, and the Green Way cycle route might not be open at all... since it's so close to the Park that it might be a security risk now.

I think I'm resigned to using my Travelcard to get to events now and leave the bike just for normal 'work' commutes.

Edit - I've found the information on the Overground limitations

During the 2012 Games additional restrictions are on trains timed to depart in either direction Monday to Sunday all day between Clapham Junction / Willesden Junction and Stratford and between Highbury & Islington and New Cross/Forest Hill.

[treehugger]

Thanks all, think we will cycle to Honor Oak or Canada Water and then use the travel card. Our event starts at 9.00, they say you have to be there 2 hours before. If it's going to be difficult travelling, I envisage leaving Barry Rd at about 5.30 am - eeek!we're going on the 1st August. If you are travelling before that, please do post on here and let us know how it went.

[Nik]

Im going to be travelling a lot to and from the Olympic park/East Dulwich as I'm working as a Games Maker volunteer. I need to be there by 6.15am for some shifts (eek!) so will let you know what routes are best. Remind me nearer the time if I haven't got back in touch.

[stephen509]

Is a Games Makes a nicer way to say steward?

Nik Wrote:

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> Im going to be travelling a lot to and from the

> Olympic park/East Dulwich as I'm working as a

> Games Maker volunteer. I need to be there by

> 6.15am for some shifts (eek!) so will let you know

> what routes are best. Remind me nearer the time

> if I haven't got back in touch.

[Loz]

stephen509 Wrote:

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> Is a Games Makes a nicer way to say steward?

Stewards are usually paid.

[Nik]

not stewards no - games makers are volunteers doing tons of different roles all over london, I'm working in the medical centre in the athletes village :-)

[lpool]

I have something to do with Spectator transport for the Games so I will try and provide odd updates during Games on best ways to travel. My favourite route is to drive to Ebbsfleet and travel in on Javelin. It may be quicker some days than going via central London.

From East Dulwich using East London line is a good way to go to Park. We've put in lot of cycle bays at Park but expect them to be popular.

[Applespider]

Nik Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> not stewards no - games makers are volunteers

> doing tons of different roles all over london, I'm

> working in the medical centre in the athletes

> village :-)

Sounds like it could be an interesting role. I know a few Event Services (which does sound vaguely like stewarding) and Transport drivers Gamesmakers.

lpool - lots of cycle bays sound good. What would be really useful though to those of us thinking about cycling there is information on what bits of cycling infrastructure are open or not? Is the Greenway cycle path going to be usable during the Games? There were rumours that some of the other routes would mean carrying the bike over road bridges etc for stretches. How is the parking going to work? If it's manned, are there limited hours that you can access it? It would be very useful to know. Lots of the information seems quite fragmented currently.

[Ratpack]

I go from Forest Hill on overground - charge at Canada Water and get off at Stratford where the main entrance to park is. Takes me 45 mins (with normal traffic). The Forest Hill line is brilliant. I've started using a lot more than East Dulwich station.

[lpool]

You will struggle during Olympics to change at Canada Water onto Jubilee as trains will be very full. Check the TfL hotspot messaging re when to avoid.

[Bic Basher]

It may be better to change at Whitechapel and use the District/H&C to Mile End, then the Central to Stratford during the Games.

[Applespider]

Bear in mind that you don't have to go to the Olympic Park via Stratford. You can go in using one of the other entrances so you could walk from West Ham for example.