London 2012: Olympics road restrictions begin amid confusion - BBC News
About 30 miles of "Games Lanes" on roads into London's main Olympic venues are closed to the public
Drivers in London say they are confused by new road restrictions designed to help the movement of Olympic athletes.
Starting from 06:00 BST, a £130 fine has become enforceable for drivers and cyclists driving in the Games Lanes.
Transport for London (TfL) advised drivers to follow the electronic road signs while Locog said the lanes had allowed athletes to reach the venues.
However, puzzled drivers said some lanes were open to all traffic while some signs seemed to be conflicting.
About 25% of the 30 miles of Games Lanes in London, which are intended to let athletes, Olympic officials and the media move quickly around the city, are now active.
The lanes are part of the 109-mile Olympic Route Network (ORN) where restrictions apply from 06:00 BST until midnight.
A TfL spokeswoman said the lanes were intended to be "flexible" according to traffic needs and up-to-date advice was available on the electronic message signs.
TfL is monitoring the lanes using CCTV cameras and added that traffic was down by 13.5% across all roads in central and inner London so far.
A spokesperson said: "Drivers did face queues during this morning's rush hour on the main roads coming into London including the A4, A12, A13 and A40 although these were generally shorter than earlier in the week, indicating that many drivers have heeded advice to avoid driving into central London.
"Compliance levels among drivers have been high."
Earlier there were delays on several roads including the M4, the A4 and the A40 in west London; the A12 at the Lea Interchange and A13 Canning Town Flyover in east London; and in central London at Hyde Park Corner and Euston Road.
But the traffic returned to normal on most roads before midday, with the exception of those leading up to the Hammersmith flyover where vehicles are restricted to one lane, BBC London's travel desk reports.
Many commuters and motorists complained they were confused by the changes.
On Twitter, Jon Mack asked: "Could this be less clear?"
The BBC's Chris Lansdown said that on the A40 eastbound near the Hanger Lane underpass in west London, a blue sign by the roadside told drivers that the Games Lanes were being enforced, but a matrix sign advised motorists they could use the reserved lane.
He said: "It was already causing a tailback at 06:45."
Stephen Sitaram, a lorry driver from Hillingdon, said navigating the Hanger Lane roundabout was challenging as one lane was "coned off" and the Games Lane started some distance down the road, leading to a traffic build-up.
He said people joining the A40 were guided by notices saying Games Lanes were in operation, but there were no digital signs clarifying whether or not they were activated until drivers reached Marylebone Road.
Mr Sitaram said: "They are making it confusing. They should have illuminated signs rather than sticker signs. If you join in halfway, you don't know... that's why a lot of traffic is building up."
Paul Camp said he was stuck in an "unnecessary traffic jam" for 40 minutes on Euston Road as people were wary of using the Games Lane.
He said: "You know there is chaos because the lane is empty while we sit in the traffic, but the digital sign was saying all traffic can use it.
"People are thinking the sign may be wrong and hasn't been changed."
Wendy Hurrell in the BBC London travel centre explains who can drive where
BBC London 94.9 reporter Jason Rosam said motorists on Marylebone Road were sticking to just one lane as they "don't realise the former bus lane is now open to all traffic", despite signs on the road saying so.
Contrary to the misery expressed by motorists, some cyclists seemed happy about the change.
Scott McMillan tweeted: "If London can give up some road lanes for the Olympics, it can give them up for good. After the Games, turn them into cycle lanes."
Leon Daniels, TfL's managing director of surface transport, said people accidentally straying into the lanes would not automatically incur a fine.
He said: "We don't want enforcement, we want compliance. Nobody will be harshly dealt with if the Games Lane becomes activated after they pass it."
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "Motorists will clearly take some time to adjust to new road layouts and the Games Lanes.
"With the Olympic opening ceremony now just a couple of days away, London's transformation into a massive sporting and cultural venue is virtually complete.
"As a result, at times our roads will be exceptionally busy."
Debbie Jevans, Locog's director of sport, said: "The traffic has moved, the Olympic lanes have worked well this morning and athletes have gone to the venues and are training as they have been for a week now."
The Games organiser's director of communications, Jackie Brock-Doyle, said: "London is moving well this morning."
Transport Secretary Justine Greening said: "There will be a lot of disruption and London is a congested city anyway."
Cat Kobylinski, from traffic information firm Inrix, said journeys into London from Heathrow took "more than twice the normal length of time" and "congestion doubled" between Waterloo and London Bridge.
TfL has urged people to avoid driving into central London and near the venues and warned that roads within the North Circular and the South Circular were likely to be badly affected.
More information can be found on the Olympic "Get Ahead of the Games" website.
Live travel updates can also be found online from the Highways Agency and on BBC London 94.9.
London 2012: Team GB triumphs in first match of Games - The Guardian
Some had saved long and hard and travelled halfway round the world to be here. Others had decided at the last minute to jump on the local bus and grab a ticket for the cheap seats. A few were loyal followers of women's football, but most admitted they simply wanted to be part of a great sporting party.
There had been fears that the opening event of London 2012, a women's football match taking place 150 miles from the Olympic Park in a country that has sometimes seemed lukewarm about the staging of the Olympics in the UK, might be a flop.
Not a bit of it. True, Cardiff's Millennium stadium, which holds more than 70,000, was less than half full when the match between Team GB and New Zealand kicked off, but the first sporting action of London 2012 – a half-metre pass by GB midfielder Anita Asante in bright afternoon sunshine – was greeted with huge enthusiasm.
Later there was to be rather less joy from North Korea's women players, who walked off the pitch at Hampden Park in Glasgow in protest after images of their faces were flashed on to the big screens alongside the South Korean flag before their evening game with Colombia.
For a while North Korea refused to play, but after delicate negotiations the players were persuaded back on to the pitch and the correct flag was displayed alongside the team photos. The London 2012 organising committee apologised for the mistake and promised it would not happen again.
There were no such diplomatic problems in Cardiff. Here spectators had come to celebrate the Olympics and the 1-0 win for Team GB, thanks to a goal from Arsenal Ladies player Stephanie Houghton, felt like a nice bonus rather than the be-all.
"It's just great to be part of all this," said Lowri Belson, 17, who plays in goal for the Caerphilly Castle Ladies' and Girls' Club in south Wales. "It's inspiring for young sportspeople everywhere to have something like this happening in our backyard. We should be proud."
Vickie Faulkner had travelled down from the market town of Llanfair Caereinion in mid Wales with her family. Her nine-year-old daughter, Fflur, plays for the school girls' team and had been keen to get a glimpse of international players.
"The only disappointment is that no Welsh women have been picked," Faulkner said. "There are some good Welsh players, so that's a shame."
"I'm not a football supporter, but I do love sport," said Anne Donald, from Cardiff, who had decided at the last moment to buy a ticket. "I wanted to be part of it. The Olympics is all about including everyone. It's nice to think that Wales has been a big part of the start of the Games."
Games supremo Lord Coe turned up and made the case that, despite the name, London 2012 was not just about London. "A lot of the Games are in London, but this is not uniquely a London story," Coe said. "When I came in this morning I felt I was arriving in an Olympic city. I have been to Cardiff plenty of times, but it had a different feel about it today."
The crowd in the Millennium stadium was very different to the usual football mob. The majority were children, teenagers or young adults. Teddy bears and dolls were waved along with union flags. There was no swearing, no baiting of opposition players and precious little criticism over errors.
David and Lauren Gooley, both 27, from Wellington in New Zealand, were disappointed by their team's defeat, but they will have many other chances to see them succeed, having booked into no fewer than 28 events. "I'm hoping we'll do better in other sports," said David. "Football isn't our best."
Hailey Casey, 19, from Vancouver, was thrilled to be in Cardiff. She had travelled to the UK specifically for the Olympic football competition. "I play at school and am very keen," she said. "I'm going to Wembley, too, and I can't wait for that."
The Brazilian fans were also at large in Cardiff to watch their women's team take on Cameroon after the England v New Zealand match. Marcos da Silva, who moved to Cardiff from São Paulo, eight years ago, arrived with his nephew, Tiago, 11, and daughter Kyara, five. Tiago was given the tickets by his school after being judged sporting personality of the year. "I'm supporting GB and Brazil in all events," he said.
Antonio Coelho, a 58-year-old professor from Recife in Brazil, was watching with his wife, Rosangela, and son Gabriel. He is an ardent fan who will follow both the women's and men's team around the country and was happy to reminisce about Brazil sides of the past, including the one that beat Wales in the World Cup in 1958 courtesy of a goal from the then 17-year-old Pele.
There remained some bemusement as to why the first Olympic action is being staged in Cardiff. The answer is that the football competitions could not be squeezed into the Games fortnight, and the London organising committee Locog wanted to avoid taking the shine off the opening ceremony on Friday.
There were some dissenters. Iago ap Steffan, a Plaid Cymru town councillor from Pontypridd, was wearing a Brazil T-shirt and carrying a New Zealand flag. "I was going to wear my 'Welsh, not British' one, but thought that might be too much. I think it's time that Wales had its own [Olympic] team. At the moment it's mixed but not mixed fairly. The bias is towards England."
Such matters were not at the forefront of Cameroon fan Thomas Amunga's mind. A priest who had swapped his robes for his side's bright yellow and green tracksuit, he was to be found during the England game praying his team would beat the Brazilians (the prayers did not achieve the desired result: Cameroon were thumped 5-0). "I am going to follow the team everywhere," he said. It's wonderful to be here. I love my country, I love my football, I love the Olympics."
London 2012: GB women's football victory in Cardiff - BBC News
The London 2012 Olympic Games have got under way with a win for the football women of Team GB at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
GB beat New Zealand 1-0 and Brazil thrashed Cameroon 5-0, with a total of 30,847 fans attending the day's games.
There was a carnival atmosphere with street entertainment in the city centre ahead of the match.
Some fans were still queueing to have bags searched at kick-off, which was blamed on security teething problems.
Stadium staff said late arrivals had put pressure on the security checks but everyone was admitted within a few minutes of the game starting at 16:00 BST.
Street entertainment including tennis, athletics and cricket greeted Olympic dignitaries and ticket holders who flooded into Cardiff.
London 2012 chairman Lord Coe arrived to hail the opening of the games and stressed they were not just for London.
"When I came in this morning I felt I was arriving in an Olympic city, I have been to Cardiff plenty of times but it had a different feel about it today," he said.
After the match, fans leaving the stadium said they had enjoyed the experience although some were concerned about the security delays.
“Start Quote
End Quote Gerry Toms Millennium Stadium managerI apologise to people who did not get inside in time for the kick-off but we are talking about four minutes”
Millennium Stadium manager Gerry Toms told BBC Wales there were "teething problems" with the security process.
"The difficulty really was that people didn't listen to the advice they were given on their ticket, which said please do not bring bags," he said.
"People without bags actually entered the stadium straight away. They just moved very smoothly through the search lines and into the stadium and into their seats.
"Unfortunately, and I'm sorry for that, but the people who were delayed were those who actually brought large bags.
"I apologise to people who did not get inside in time for the kick-off but we are talking about four minutes.
"Four minutes past four, everyone was in. That's not an inordinate delay."
Games organisers Locog also said it was "regrettable" that food ran out in one area of the stadium after a period of "particularly high demand".
A spokesman said the outlets concerned had been restocked, and that fans had been allowed to leave the stadium to buy food in the city centre.
"The fact that these particular outlets ran out of food in the first place is obviously regrettable and we hope that this did not have too large an impact on the match day experience of the fans in this area," he said.
Danni Pearson, 25, from Bristol said the event had been brilliant.
"I didn't bring a bag so we walked straight through - it took about two minutes.
"We checked on the website before and it was not advised to bring a bag and it saved us so much time."
Marcos Marquez, 36, from Spain, said he believed the security was necessary.
"It's normal for big events. I think the Olympics is a good experience for people. I enjoyed it."
“Start Quote
End Quote Lord Coe London 2012 chairmanWhen I came in this morning I felt I was arriving in an Olympic city”
Andrew Berwick, 54, from Cardiff, said he had had a lovely day but also questioned the level of security.
"Cardiff has done a good job, there was so much going on," he said.
"I know why it was done but it seemed a bit over the top to take water away from small children on a really hot day."
Andy Moore, also from Cardiff, thought the organisation could have been better.
"I didn't have a problem getting in but if I had a bag I would've been frustrated," he said.
"Security was overkill to me. The cost must be astronomical."
Dr Jonathan Murphy, from Barry, said he had been waiting 25 minutes in the queue for the booths.
"I bought my tickets in advance, I'm just picking them up," he said.
"They've got two windows closed and there was no information where to come.
"There was also no differentiation between sales and picking up. This is unbelievable."
David Seal, 48, from Berkeley, Gloucestershire, travelled to the match with wife Debbie, 45, and son Jacob, 15.
"We have been trying for a long time to get tickets to the official opening in London on Friday and this is about the nearest we've got," he said.
Difficult hurdle"When the Olympic torch came through our area there was a lot of enthusiasm and you can see the same thing here."
Rob Green, 46, and his wife Julie, 49, from Oxford, made a late decision to attend the match.
"We were offered the tickets really at the last moment by a friend so we thought we'd come along," Mr Green said.
"There is a great atmosphere here. Everyone is friendly."
The Olympic football action began two days ahead of the opening ceremony in London on Friday.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was among those attending the opening event, played down the chances of Great Britain football teams competing at future Olympics.
Blatter said opposition from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would prove a difficult hurdle to overcome.
The stadium's opening game between Team GB and New Zealand was followed by another women's match, in which Brazil beat Cameroon 5-0.
Eleven matches in total will take place at the Millennium Stadium throughout the Games.
A Locog spokesman said the total attendance across Wednesday's two matches in Cardiff was 30,847.
"Today's attendances for the opening matches of the Olympic Football Tournament were unprecedented for women's football in the UK in recent years," he said.
Because of the way football is scheduled with the number of games and rest periods, the tournament has to start before the opening ceremony of the Games.
Under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules, no events can be held in the host city until after the ceremony takes place.
Meanwhile, the security operation around the city has been stepped up, while roads around the stadium have been closed until 21:30 BST.
Extra capacity was also being provided by rail services.
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