fast
forward
TRANSPORT
All the right moves
London 2012 is set to be the biggest sporting that the network needs those enhancements,
and cultural event the UK has ever seen. The modern London 2012 notwithstanding.”
London’s
Olympic Games have changed beyond recognition Atkins’ main involvement with delivering transport
since the last time London played host. In 1948, just projects for the Games is largely centred on rail.
transport
over 4,000 competitors arrived to challenge for “In London, we’re looking at an 80 per cent
network IS
medals in 136 events. In 2012, 14,700 athletes will mode share by rail, roughly, with 20 per cent
arrive, along with 55,000 members of the Olympic pedestrian, cycling and road (park-and-ride and
UNDeRGOING
family of judges, technical officials and sponsors, coach),” says Sumner.
and 20,000 accredited members of the media. Specific projects include the management A SIGNIFICANT
While the focus will be on the track, pool and of improvement works in Stratford, right at the
velodrome, somehow all of those people will need to heart of the Olympic Park. For the purposes of
UPGRADe IN
be able to move from one location to another with the improvements, Atkins is acting on behalf
relative ease. And while all that’s happening, the world’s of Network Rail to ensure that any engineering
TIMe FOR the
greatest city needs to carry on working and celebrating. work does not affect the operational running
London 2012
of the railway.
8
Simple, surely? “We receive requests from contractors and
oLympic Games
Hugh Sumner is the man charged with stakeholders in the area and manage the delivery
co-ordinating transport for the Olympic Delivery of the work,” says Cowlard. “They might want and paraLympic
Authority (ODA): “Basically, we do all the transport to put a bridge over the railway for pedestrians,
upgrades directly and indirectly required for London for example. We’ll work with them and Network
Games. CAReFUL
2012,” he says. “We will be responsible for timetables Rail to understand the requirements and then give
as well as organising the buses, roads, river, cycle, approval for those things to be done in a safe
PLANNING IS
mainline rail, light rail – everything – for about and efficient way.”
NeeDeD TO MAKe
20 million people.” Away from Stratford, the North London Line
The ODA, in collaboration with the existing improvement is currently the biggest project. With
SURe DeMAND
transport authorities, has taken a three-pronged ODA funding, Atkins has been working on improving
approach to this seemingly insurmountable problem. track, signalling and platforms across a network that
IS MeT ON TIMe,
“First, we will need to get the best we can out of crucially links east and west, one of the few routes in
the existing system,” says Sumner. “Second, where the transport network not based on the centre-out
WITHOUT SADDLING
extra capacity is needed and there is a legacy case, radial system.
then we will co-fund or build it. Third, where there The North London line also links into the Docklands
THe CITy WITH
isn’t a legacy case for those ‘peak of the peak’ times, Light Railway, London’s youngest rail system. The DLR
UNNeCeSSARy
we will put in a temporary solution rather than forms an important link into the Olympic Park from
wasting resources, time and energy putting in the City and the south east. As such, it requires
INFRASTRUCTURe
something that won’t have future use.” significantly increased capacity and scope. The core
Of course, the perennial complaint about the extension will run from Stratford International to
AND exPeNSe.
amount spent on any Games is the question of Canning Town and be connected to the Beckton and
legacy. However, Mark Cowlard, rail solutions Woolwich Arsenal Docklands Light Railway routes.
director for Atkins’ southern region, disagrees: As well as this, Atkins is also managing the DLR’s
“This work is all about enhancing capacity for the “three-car capacity upgrade” programme, which is
long term: getting more people from one place to delivering the infrastructure enhancements required
another as quickly as possible. There is no question to move from two- to three-car operation.
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