Hot off the Press. A briefing update by Peter Hendy Transport for London
An Olympic Road Closures update was given to the Fellows of the IoC.
Sarah Bell Lead Traffic Commissioner also spoke of positive outcomes on the olympics.
Peter Hendy was appointed Commissioner in 2006, having previously served as TfL's managing director (MD) of Surface Transport. He was formerly deputy director UK Bus for FirstGroup and previously MD of CentreWest London Buses, managing it in London Transport (LT) ownership, leading it through a management and staff buyout with venture capital backing and a subsequent expansion. He started his transport career in 1975 as an LT Graduate Trainee. Peter was also Chair of the Commission for Integrated Transport from 2005 until 2010. He is 2011/12 President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.
Transport for London Courier and Express Forum
January 2012
Olympic road closures, route, security and parking, less than 200 days to go!
TfL Courier & Express working group sat for a Friday the 13 th meeting, Jubilee line problems backed up the City of London, TNT, UPS, DHL, City Sprint & Lewis Day courier colleagues still made it on-time for the latest January TfL updates but with Jubilee line mayhem below their feet and only 196 days to the Olympics, reality was front of house on what is set to be the greatest test of the transport industry in its history of road traffic congestion. With all the data in the world, delivery success will be driven by clever real time solutions that may see logistics at its finest hour.
Dan Evanson from the TfL Olympic freight team hosted the briefing in a full and frank discussion. The real courier need for TfL to deliver - ‘help us manage the customer expectation’ TfL answers have to date focused on night delivery, this may create a freight legacy for the streets of London but most couriers, same day and overnight do not have darkness delivery as an option.
Less than 200 days to go but beware the torch ceremony starts in ‘70 days’ time torches every corner of the UK and begins a run of congestion to the Olympics who’s wake up call will be 600 road closures for the cycle race. Be sure your cycle couriers in the race are ‘package on board!’
Time restrictions, access to delivery locations and the Olympic Road route Network (ORN) generated on-going discussion. If you are on the ORN, great. Getting on it, crossing it and getting of it another matter. A dedicated highway from London West End to Stratford East London. The west end hotel village route to the East London games is mostly highway and much of it red line, loading and no stopping, no change then? Parking charges on the route will go to £200 (two hundred pounds). TfL ‘timings on the route are challenging – stationary vehicles will be towed off the route, then It’s your problem – prime time games commute, 1600 vehicles an hour, 3 second gaps, mostly coaches – if you are on the route it will be quick.’ Courier consensus repeatedly focused on how to deal with crossing the route for deliveries. Post code congestion data has been delayed a number of times and may make the web before end of January. Target is to get a date and postcode available on website to give advice such as ‘marathon crosses that junction that day.’
Security? Who will manage all the checkpoints? Gossip was nearly thirty thousand Territorial Army are on mobilisation dates for the games but they will not be in military uniform.
TfL have lots more data coming but it may be as late March, during the games daily morning bulletins are expected and the IOC will be working hard to distribute direct into fellows traffic & control desks.
The election of the Mayor in May should signpost a big drive of Olympic messages to London highlighting need to plan for logistics and expect delays. Discussion turned to the ARN, (Alternative Route Network) beware when the main route is taken with things such as the marathon then the ARN will become the main route and no alternative will exist. Local knowledge will be the only alternative.
TfL are urging us not to forget the Para-Olympics, smaller event but schools are back, summer holidays are over and whilst shorter in time the intensity of games location use is higher.
December 2011
TfL Commisioner Peter Hendy ‘You want information now to get working on, we will give it to you’.
Graham Inglis chief exec of DHL Supply Chain chaired the event, Geoff & Theo heading RHA & FTA present, CBI and a host of haulage freight and vehicle folk on the edge of their chairs for news of solutions. Peter Hendy, ‘we are moving into the operating stage, Black chariot is the govt code name, Games are the biggest thing in the UK, all my time is dedicated to this, we will try as hard as we can to get it right.’
Dan Evanson TfL spoke on Games time issues for freight. Key points, Time restrictions, unpredictable customer demand, parking out of hours for deliveries. ‘Clearly very few simple supply chains in London’ Hugh Basham for DHL replied with an industry view, ‘there will be cost challenges to servicing the games at night.’ Mark Bland for LOCOG came with news of 123 VCP (vehicle check points), ‘a consignment note will not get you access through security’ ‘We need to restrict spectators driving to the venues. There will be a ring of approximately 30 minutes walking time around the Olympic park. We need to keep local traffic moving. There will be controlled parking zones. 250 thousand homes will be inside the ring, pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.’
Regulations and enforcement, traffic Commissioner Sarah Bell ‘out of hours delivery in London, this is an opportunity, get it right and permanent out of hours London freight delivery will be the transport legacy of the games.’ FTA have worked hard on night delivery noise controls & trials. We need to get the code of practice out.’
Solutions. Ian Wainwright TfL Four Rs -Reduce, ReTime, ReRoute, Revise models. Is it that simple? Ian asked ‘How do we get information out?’ Hot spot congestion maps are on the web, a marvel of graphic display traffic planning, congestion prediction for every day of the games, check TfL web for Hot spots. Real time information still in the planning but will happen, (email alert via trade bodies such as IOC etc) 35 workshops set for the UK, if you have locations for delivery tell us. ‘Use the web portal at TfL’, we will continue to add to it.
Two hours of focus, what next? The forum meets in Feb 2012 to wrap up loose ends.
November 2011
The regulatory regime. Amended operation of mutually exclusive traffic management restrictions
- London lorry controls scheme
- Planning constraints
- Loading constraints
- Noise abatement orders
- Light touch for parking enforcement (revenues raising devices)
- Low emission zone
How will the vehicle checking points work?
Have all height/ weight/length restrictions on diversions/ alternate routes/ access points been considered? Are there any issues?
The need for the relaxation or temporary suspension of the regulatory framework during Games time, such as;
Operators license restraints
- Working time directive
- Local planning restrictions
- Drivers’ hours
Communication
A single point of contact for all traffic management issues was requested;
- Providing a joined up approach from all of the agencies involved (e.g. LOCOG/TfL/ODA,etc…)
- One website where all of the data will be held
- Real time info
- Consistent messaging
- Regular updates
There is a need to simplify all of the information relating to the traffic management measures, to avoid information overload and present it in an appropriate format (e.g. postcode data as opposed to maps) This will also need to be targeted. Clear messaging will prevent confusion. E.g. clarifying the difference between ORN and Games lanes.
There is also a need to disseminate traffic management and congestion information relating to the Games via different media, both before the Games for planning and in a live format during the Games.
Media suggested at this meeting;
- VMS
- Radio
- Twitter
- Website
- Linked In
There is additionally a need to target specific market sectors, outside the freight environment, but which have a direct bearing upon freight operations.
Suggested where;
- Fleet operators/hire agents/leasing agents
- Home delivery retailers
- Waste sector
- White van man
- Small businesses
TfL to continue to engage at all levels of business, tactical, strategic and leadership.
How are major end customers being engaged?
Data and information
A more robust approach from TfL, where a degree of measured risk is exhibited in relation to the release of data;
i.e. the industry understands that details might change, but we would rather have the data early and have to make minor changes, then wait for July 2012 and have the final solution.
- TfL needs to take the lead, act as an ‘honest broker’ and share information and solutions with industry from multiple sources, e.g. LOCOG, ODA
Full details of what traffic management restrictions will be enforced during the summer of 2012:-
ORN & PRN (for example ; still outstanding operational dates)
- Local area traffic management & parking plans
- Last mile plans
- National houses
- Vendor certification programme
- Security constraints
- Central London Zone
- Jubilee plans/ DCMS Festival of Culture / Torch relay route
ORN/Central London Zone/ Road event data to be released in meaningful formats;
Postcode data by date and restriction
- Detailed maps of restrictions
A timeline of when information will be released;
- Must be delivered on schedule
Establish the impact on other freight types;
Air - Water - Rail
What plans are there to create a Games overlay for route planning software and when might we see it released?
Inter agency co-operation
To cultivate political consensus over responsibility for Transport Management in London (during the games)
A single point of contact for all traffic management issues
Suspension of mutually exclusive traffic management restrictions
Appointment of Industry advocates within the design teams/process
Sector specific Issues
What is the impact on pre-planned activity for the construction sector?
How will the pharmaceutical supply chain work during the games?
How engaged is the waste sector?
How will Royal Mail’s Universal Service agreement be affected?
A meeting was then held on Tuesday 14 th November to suggest further key issues to be discussed with TfL.
Below outlines what was discussed at this meeting;
The key issues identified were:
Communication. Info needs to made available, in the form of a single point of contact, that can satisfy a number of requirements:
- A message to allow courier/Express operators to push back to their clients that they do not yet have adequate info to plan and as such can’t provide any more detail
- A Concerted campaign to customers who research (TNT) shows ‘have no idea what’s coming’ explaining to them that they will need to behave differently during Summer 2012
- A message that is accessible to customers who are outside of London and currently unaware/disinterested about the Games
Contingency. What happens when after 3 days of the Olympic s it becomes clear that people are not receiving deliveries as they cannot be made in accordance with the restrictions in place? What appeals process for particularly troubled sites is there, for example, will there be a dedicated email address or phone number? Borough involvement is vital.
Other issues mentioned but not necessarily specific to the sector were:
- The need for a ‘single version of the truth’. A clear message, stating the likely challenges in simple terms, that clients to be referred to reassure them that the limitations are beyond operator’s control. Likewise it should make clear that anyone claiming to be able to operate outside of these constraints is likely to be, at best, misguided if not deliberately out to misguide others.
Daily updates for planning purposes are more important than real time info. Equally important, If these updates could be visible to the public (BBC/SKY NEWS?) it may help reinforce the message, reduce demand and reduce the number of queries and complaints operators are forced to contend with
Additional information
Additional Information
- ORN will open 2 days prior to the Games
- TfL/LOCOG will control all traffic lights during the Games within the M25
- London Boroughs can currently enforce own parking and road restrictions during the Games
- There will be no go areas on various dates, TfL will advise in advance
- Parking fines may be increased to £200.00 to deter motorists from parking illegally. This is yet to be confirmed.
- It is estimated that there will be approximately 20% less people at work during the Olympics. However this estimate was also made for the last Olympics in Beijing. In reality during the Games in Beijing there were 60% less people at work
- TfL have agreed to send out messages regarding the lack of information available so far, to assist all industries in explaining to their clients why concrete plans are yet to be put in place
- Registering your business at www.tfl.gov.uk/developers will allow businesses to get Data Feeds on games information such as postcode maps showing areas affected and also live journey planner information
- A contingency plan needs to be put in place should the ORN fail
- LOCOG will run all aspects of the Games whilst they are taking place
- The aim is to have definitive plans set in stone by the end of February
- ORN and Games Lanes are expected to be in constant use with a steady flow of traffic at all times
- The overall message would appear to be to discourage all unessential deliveries and public transport travel. The public must be made to realise the impact the ORN, Games Lanes and restrictions to public transport travel, will have
Steve Purkiss FIoC
Associate Director | Lewis Day Transport plc
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