Thousands to arrive at lake as Games begin
Dan Whiteway • Published 27 Jul 2012 11:00
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YEARS of preparations for the Olympics at Eton Dorney Lake will be put to the test when the Games begin tomorrow (Saturday).
More than 30,000 people a day are expected to descend on the venue for the rowing and canoeing events with the site in use for all but two days of the Games.
Park and ride facilities have been arranged at Upton Court Park, Slough, Windsor Great Park, Stafferton Way, Maidenhead, and Braywick Park, Maidenhead. However, the Olympic Delivery Authority has confirmed more than 25,000 out of 80,962 park and ride tickets at these sites remain unsold.
Windsor Racecourse, in Maidenhead Road, is the transport hub for the venue and so will see the most traffic flow as shuttle buses, connecting the racecourse with the three park and ride facilities and Windsor and Eton Riverside train station, drop off visitors making their way to the lake.
Councillor Phillip Bicknell, Royal Borough cabinet member for highways, transport and environment, said: "We have to be realistic. You can't bring in up to 25,000 people a day to the Olympic transport hub at Windsor Racecourse and not cause some disruption, but I believe we have the best plans possible and I thank all our residents and councillors for their input."
Temporary travel restrictions on certain roads and parking restrictions in areas close to the venue will be in place for the length of the Games. Full details can be found at www.rbwm.gov.uk
Eton Dorney Lake will host the rowing and canoeing events of the Games from tomorrow (Saturday) until Saturday, August 11.
The Paralympic rowing events will also take place there from Friday, August 31, until Sunday, September 2. In Slough, the Korean women's hockey team warmed up for their Olympic campaign, in which they will take on their Team GB counterparts, with a four-day training camp.
The team met from Saturday to Wednesday at the Slough Hockey club in Upton Park.
The club has its own connection to the Games with members Ashleigh Ball and Nicola White being a part of the GB team. The pair will start their quest for gold on Sunday, July 29.
For more Olympic Games news, pick up a copy of the Observer out today (Friday)
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