The Independent reports that London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone says London will be unable to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games unless Britain’s Prime Minister approves a one billion pound rail link within the next few weeks.
It seems that the British government is concerned about the rail link because of the rail industry’s reputation as a “financial black hole” writes the Independent.
Livingstone said at a recent private meeting that London’s transport system could not “manage” the Olympics without the link, which would enable tens of thousand of visitors to avoid London’s city centre.
According to an internal document the only non-rail alternative to the link would be to run large numbers of buses and coaches. “This would not be feasible or attractive” to visitors. “Extra vehicles would not be available and reliable journey times could not be achieved”, said the document.
At the busiest time of the Olympic Games more than 200,000 people will arrive at Olympic venues and 200,000 spectators will depart.
