Sport fans to use public transport at 2012 London Olympic games

People will have to use public transport, foot or bicycle, to attend 2012 London Olympic events, according to the newly released transport plan.

London organizers estimate 500,000 spectators will attend Olympic events each day of the games, as well as 50,000 athletes, officials and media.

"We want London 2012 to be the public transport games," Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive David Higgins said Wednesday. "This is not about banning people from using their cars but about making public transport, walking and cycling the most attractive option for spectators traveling to the games."

Every ticketholder will receive free public transportation the day of the event. There will be no private parking areas, except some zones for the disabled.

The busiest day will be Day 7, when organizers estimate that 800,000 fans will use public transportation as the track and field, diving and cycling starts at Olympic Park and the first soccer game is played at Wembley Stadium.

London's Olympic transport plan, released Wednesday, promised that the games would have "a minimal impact" on regular commuters.

It also boasted it had achieved all its milestones so far to improve railway access to Olympic Park in the eastern suburb of Stratford.

That includes the completion of the tunnel from Stratford to Kings Cross in central London, with testing of the seven-minute train journey to begin next month. During the games, trains are expected to arrive at Olympic Park every 15 seconds.

The light rail network has been extended to City Airport and the subway station at Kings Cross St. Pancras has been completely renovated.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said 10 billion pounds (US$20.4 billion; Ђ14.3 billion) of funding had been injected into improving London's creaky public transport network as a direct result of staging the games.

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Author`s name Angela Antonova
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