Some time yesterday, the latest consultation maps for the Olympic Route Network updated. Nothing major, just a long-planned tidying-up, but with a few extra bits added for good measure. So I thought I'd better bring you the new map for Stratford High Street, because that's the truth about the future, and I don't want yesterday's post to become an archive of misleadingness.
What's new? Well, the Bow Flyover now appears, complete with blue and orange colouring. The blue means it's part of the Alternative Olympic Route Network, which means Olympic vehicles will be sent this way should the main ORN get blocked. But if all goes well then these blue roads should continue to flow normally, even at the height of the Games. Meanwhile the orange indicates that one eastbound lane will be closed. Halve the amount of traffic coming over the flyover and it'll reduce congestion down Stratford High Street - good for Stratford, bad for Bow. There's one other added extra on the map, up Marshgate Lane... "Access Closed". Here's where the residents of Central House normally drive their cars in and out through an automatic gate, but this'll be staying firmly closed during the Games. The world's largest sporting event is taking place up their street, so emerging hatchbacks pulling out in front of coachfuls of visitors would never do. Don't worry, they'll cope. Oh and look, the arrow in the bottom left corner no longer says "ORN towards the Olympic Park" (they've shifted that elsewhere, and it's correct). Instead the arrow says "ORN towards the Central London". If you're not in an official vehicle, it could be a long journey into the Central London next summer.
