The Olympic Route Network

What is the Olympic Route Network?

The Olympic Route Network and Games Lanes for officials, international media, VIPs and emergency vehicles covers a section of UK roads (109 miles in London, 170 miles outside) linking key London 2012 venues where traffic regulations have been modified.

The route will mostly be open to general traffic and clear of obstructions and roadworks.

Some 30 miles of the ORN in London will include Games Lanes that are only accessible to 80,000 members of the “Games Family” – athletes, officials, sponsors, VIPs and media deemed key to the smooth running of the Games.

A Paralympic Route Network (PRN) will be in operation on a smaller scale during the Paralympics.

How will it work?

The ORN will include measures such as:

• Closing side roads, except to local residents and businesses where possible
• Banned turns to and from side roads
• Changing traffic signal timings
• Parking/loading suspensions
• Some pedestrian crossing suspensions
• Suspension of roadworks (except in emergencies)
• Diverting 75 of London’s 700 bus routes
• Introduction of Games Lanes alongside lanes for general traffic

Every day will be different, and it is not only central and east London that will be affected. For example, there will be significant road closures in place in south-west London on the weekend of 28-29 July, when the cycling road races are held.

When will it be in operation?

From two days before the Games until two days afterwards – i.e. between 0600 and midnight from 25 July to 14 August for the Olympics, and from 27 August to 11 September for the Paralympics. Venue-specific routes, such as that to Wimbledon, will be discontinued when the event ends and the route is no longer required.

Where will it be in operation?

Mostly in London, but also to Olympic venues such as Weymouth & Portland in Dorset.

In London, the ORN will connect venues including the Olympic Park, Horse Guards Parade, Wimbledon, Lord’s and Wembley, so will stretch across the capital. The ORN will be roadwork-free and cover 1% of the capital’s roads.

Games Lanes will operate on the busiest section of the network – from Heathrow and Wembley Stadium in the north-west of the city, through central London, along the Highway in east London and out to Greenwich and the Olympic Park at Stratford.

Where is traffic expected to be busiest?

Central and east London will be particularly busy during London 2012. On the busiest days, there will an additional 3m journeys in the capital as people watch the Games and attend cultural events, meaning the road and public transport networks will be much busier than usual.

For information on how driving journey times in the capital are likely to be affected during the Games, use Transport for London’s (TfL) planning tool.

Please see example map on traffic congestion that can be seen on the TfL website showing the busiest areas of the road network.

How does the ORN operate when there are road event days (cycling, triathlon, marathons)?

Some road race events including the Cycling Road Race, the Triathlon and the Olympic and Paralympic Marathons, will take place on sections of the Olympic or Paralympic Route Network (ORN/PRN).

During these events, which are mostly at weekends, some parts of the ORN/PRN will be closed and an alternative ORN/PRN route will be in place.

These alternative routes will be open to all general traffic. However, there will be some temporary traffic changes, including changes to traffic signal timings, on these roads so that athletes, officials, media and key Games workers can get to events on time.

To see what events are on and where they will be taking place click here