London hosts the Olympics this summer and one might expect some disruption, but I wasn’t prepared for what they’ve done to St James' Park.
This is my regular route to work - Trafalgar Square, under Admiralty Arch, into the Mall and then left along Horse Guards Road around the top of St James’ Park into Birdcage Walk.
I got quite a shock on Tuesday when I found traffic being blocked from going through Admiralty Arch. There was a truck loaded with barriers in front of me, so I thought the passageway was closed to allow unloading. I got off my bike and walked/scooted through the arch, but they have installed barriers all along The Mall - it is completely closed (and enclosed). You can’t drive along it and you can’t cross it on foot.
It’s the same with Horse Guards Road, which is closed the full length and The Mall is shut from Admiralty Arch to the roundabout in front of Buckingham Palace.
Everything was shut, so I had to go up Pall Mall and cut through into Green Park (with a fair bit of bike carrying), walk through Green Park to Buckingham Palace and then back on my bike.
Next day, I went along Whitehall and then cut across by the Churchill War Rooms, along the pavement to Birdcage Walk. Basically, all traffic is being funnelled along Whitehall into Parliament Square, which is no fun at all on a bicycle!
St James Park is closed on two sides and the SE corner is completely full of tents and marquees. I presume all this is because they are staging beach volleyball in Horse Guards Parade, which sounded like great fun, but now seems absolutely stupid. Lord knows why they have to close so many roads and put a big chunk of St James Park over to a tent town. Why do they need so much stuff - it’s only beach volleyball.
They’re taking the fun out of London with all this fencing; there’s also talk of special limo lanes which will be banned of all traffic except Olympic athletes and officials. I hope there are none of those on my route to work.
Finally, the Olympic organisers are now advising people to stay away from Hyde Park Corner which is where they earlier said it would be a great place to watch the cycling and marathon - the two free events that all Londoners could see. The latest advice comes after the Jubilee weekend when weight of crowds caused problems at certain pinch-points, including Hyde Park Corner.
This is my regular route to work - Trafalgar Square, under Admiralty Arch, into the Mall and then left along Horse Guards Road around the top of St James’ Park into Birdcage Walk.
I got quite a shock on Tuesday when I found traffic being blocked from going through Admiralty Arch. There was a truck loaded with barriers in front of me, so I thought the passageway was closed to allow unloading. I got off my bike and walked/scooted through the arch, but they have installed barriers all along The Mall - it is completely closed (and enclosed). You can’t drive along it and you can’t cross it on foot.
It’s the same with Horse Guards Road, which is closed the full length and The Mall is shut from Admiralty Arch to the roundabout in front of Buckingham Palace.
Everything was shut, so I had to go up Pall Mall and cut through into Green Park (with a fair bit of bike carrying), walk through Green Park to Buckingham Palace and then back on my bike.
Next day, I went along Whitehall and then cut across by the Churchill War Rooms, along the pavement to Birdcage Walk. Basically, all traffic is being funnelled along Whitehall into Parliament Square, which is no fun at all on a bicycle!
St James Park is closed on two sides and the SE corner is completely full of tents and marquees. I presume all this is because they are staging beach volleyball in Horse Guards Parade, which sounded like great fun, but now seems absolutely stupid. Lord knows why they have to close so many roads and put a big chunk of St James Park over to a tent town. Why do they need so much stuff - it’s only beach volleyball.
They’re taking the fun out of London with all this fencing; there’s also talk of special limo lanes which will be banned of all traffic except Olympic athletes and officials. I hope there are none of those on my route to work.
Finally, the Olympic organisers are now advising people to stay away from Hyde Park Corner which is where they earlier said it would be a great place to watch the cycling and marathon - the two free events that all Londoners could see. The latest advice comes after the Jubilee weekend when weight of crowds caused problems at certain pinch-points, including Hyde Park Corner.
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