UK’s top free runners show commuters it’s just a ‘hop, skip and a jump’ between stations ahead of the Games 
 
·         Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail are encouraging those travelling during Games-time to make short journeys on foot as Living Streets’ Walk to Work Week launches
 
·         World renowned free-running group 3RUN perform exciting parkour stunt between London Bridge and Monument stations to raise awareness of the ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ initiative
 
·         London’s commuters urged to start making plans for Games time travel now at www.getaheadofthegames.com 
 
Commuters between London Bridge and Monument stations watched in awe this morning as parkour acrobats performed a spectacular series of aerial stunts, jumps and leaps between the two stations. The talented team of free runners showed that the two sites are but a ‘hop, skip and a jump’ apart as they travelled across London Bridge, with the aim of encouraging commuters to walk rather than get the Tube where possible during the London 2012 Games.  
 
As the parkour acrobats were demonstrating their skills, TfL was handing out free local walking maps to commuters arriving at London’s mainline railway stations. The maps have been created to encourage people to swap short Tube journeys for walking ones during Games time, and will be handed out to rail commuters throughout Walk to Work Week as well as being available at mainline and some London Underground stations during Games-time.
  
Walking will be one of the simplest and quickest ways to make short journeys in London during this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, when ‘hotspot’ stations such as London Bridge will be exceptionally busy at certain times of the day. Today’s free-running activity, by world-famous free-running group 3RUN, aims to raise awareness of this to encourage London’s commuters to walk between stations where possible.

 Ben Plowden, Director of Planning, TfL Surface Transport, said: “London is going to be transformed into a gigantic sporting and cultural venue at Games-time, so London’s transport networks will, at certain times and in certain places, be exceptionally busy.

 ”We aren’t expecting Londoners to recreate the amazing feats of acrobatics that we’ve seen here this morning but the performance demonstrates in an engaging way just how quick and easy it is to walk between busy stations instead of waiting for a Tube or train. Many people don’t realise how short distances are between many places in the capital – for example, it take just six minutes to walk from London Bridge train station to Monument, and there are 47 Tube journeys in central London that can be walked in under ten minutes.” 
 
During Games time TfL and Network Rail will be providing free walking maps at 11 mainline stations and a number of major venue and east London stations. The easy-to-read maps show walking routes from mainline railway stations and their nearest London Underground stations. 
 
In addition, TfL is supporting Recyclebank’s re:route app, launched earlier this month, which encourages people to walk and cycle more in London by rewarding green behaviour with points that can be redeemed against a wide range of offers and discounts from Recyclebank partners (including Marks & Spencer, Planet Organic and Champneys). Alongside the rewards, re:route also alerts people to the number of calories that they have burnt and the amount of CO2 they have saved for each journey. For more information go to: www.recyclebank.com. 
 
Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets, the charity that runs Walk to Work Week, said: “Walking is a quick and efficient way to get around which is also better for our planet. During Walk to Work Week we’re urging commuters across London to give walking a go and to log their minutes, miles and steps using our online tool and see how easy it is to fit some more walking into your working week. With the Games around the corner, it’s crucial that commuters get into good habits now to ensure their journeys aren’t affected during the Games.” 
 
Sam Parham, free-runner, added: “What we do is great fun and fantastic for people to watch but today has the more serious message that walking is the easiest alternative to taking public transport during the Games.  I know I’d rather be out in the fresh air soaking up the atmosphere this summer.”
  
Planning to travel differently at Games time, like walking short distances around central London, will help you get around more easily. Check out all your options and start making your plan for Games time now at www.getaheadofthegames.com.

Notes:

1.    TfL has developed the walking maps in partnership with Network Rail. The maps will be distributed at 11 mainline train stations during Games time (Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Kings Cross/St Pancras, Victoria, Paddington, Marylebone, Waterloo, Fenchurch Street, Euston, Cannon Street and Charing Cross) and a number of Games venue stations.
 
2.    TfL and London 2012 trialled the walking maps at Waterloo station during September 2011. During the trial 782 peak time users of rail services at Waterloo station who made potentially walkable journeys from Waterloo were interviewed. At the end of the pilot results showed a 6 per cent net increase in the number of people claiming to have walked more journeys within 2km to or from the station and a 16 per cent net increase in the number of people claiming to have walked more for other local journeys excluding to and from Waterloo station. At certain times and places, London’s road and public transport systems will be very busy during this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, which run from 27 July to 12 August and 29 August to 9 September respectively.

3.    TfL research indicates 53 per cent of all tube journeys made in central London would be faster if made on foot (Applied Information Group Report, 2005).
 
4.    London 2012 and TfL have been working with businesses for over a year to ensure they have travel plans in place to keep on running and make the most of all the Games have to offer including an estimated £750m of income from visitors to the UK.
 
5.    Earlier this year, the UK Government, Mayor of London, London 2012 and the UK’s transport networks launched the new ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ advertising campaign, website and social media channels launched to communicate directly with the travelling public.  ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ explains how, at certain times and in certain locations – the ‘hotspots’ – London and the UK’s road and rail networks will be much busier than usual.  But by visiting www.getaheadofthegames.com or following the @GAOTG Twitter channel, people can receive the latest tips, travel information and advice on how to plan ahead and avoid the travel hotspots.
 
6.    While centred on the capital, the London 2012 Games will be a celebration for the nation as a whole, with event venues across the country including Cardiff, Coventry, Eton Dorney, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, and Weymouth and Portland.  The ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ campaign reflects this, raising awareness and offering alternative travel options to those in affected areas across the UK, alongside a specific focus on some of the busiest London hotspots.
 
7.    The campaign spans online, radio, outdoor and national and regional newspapers, urging those in affected areas to plan ahead so they can reduce, reroute, retime or remode their journeys to avoid the hotspots at the busiest times.  Split across three phases, London 2012 organisers expect the ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ adverts to be seen over a billion times by the great British public.  The first phase focused on raising awareness of where and how transport will be affected at Games-time.  Phase two is demonstrating the alternative options available to avoid congestion, such as working at different times or locations, teleconferencing rather than travelling to meetings, or alternative modes of transport including walking and cycling where practical.  The final phase will encourage people to activate these options at Games-time, ensuring they can ‘Get Ahead of the Games’.
 
8.    Visit www.livingstreets.org.uk/walktoworkweek and log your miles, minutes and steps walked during Living Streets’ Walk to Work Week. See individual as well as collective totals of miles walked, calories burned and potential carbon dioxide savings.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today announced key appointments to help him deliver the massive investment in infrastructure required to boost economic growth in the capital.

He has re-appointed Isabel Dedring as Deputy Mayor for Transport and has also proposed her as Deputy Chair of Transport for London.

Isabel will oversee the vital upgrades of the Tube and the construction of Crossrail, funding for which was secured by Boris Johnson in his first term, and which between them are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs. She will be tasked with reducing delays on the Tube by 30 per cent by 2015 and help to pave the way for automation of the Underground as committed to by the Mayor in his manifesto. Isabel will also, alongside Boris, lobby Government for increased powers over London’s suburban railways and take forward the Mayor’s commitment to easing congestion on the capital’s roads.

The Mayor has proposed Daniel Moylan as Chair of the London Legacy Development Corporation, which was established on 1 April 2012. Daniel Moylan will lead the promotion and delivery of the physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration of the Olympic Park and surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the 2012 Games. The Development Corporation will be a ‘single point of contact’ for regeneration – landowner, developer, planning authority and investor.

Assembly Member Victoria Borwick has been appointed Statutory Deputy Mayor. As a London-wide member of the London Assembly, she has served on the Transport Committee, the Economy, Culture and Sport committee, was chair of the Health and Public Services Committee and was also a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority.

The Mayor has proposed Assembly Member James Cleverly as chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LfEPA) and has appointed him chair of the London Regional Resilience Forum.

The Mayor also confirmed that Daniel Ritterband will continue in his role as Director of Marketing and 2012 Communications, overseeing all London Games-related communication.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Investing in London’s infrastructure, modernising our Tube network and making services more reliable not only eases Londoners’ daily commute but is key to London’s future prosperity.

‘These projects create thousands of jobs at a critical time in London’s economy but also act as a platform on which to drive growth and extend London’s lead as the world’s business capital. The new appointments will play a key role in my top priority of ensuring London is a magnet for jobs and economic growth.

“Isabel Dedring has already demonstrated her ability to deliver outstanding results on our transport network and overseen what is set to be the best set of performance figures on the Tube in a decade.”

Paying tribute to Baroness Ford’s leadership of the legacy programme the Mayor said: “Without doubt Margaret’s strong stewardship and vision for the future of the Olympic Park has put us in a strong position well ahead of the first sporting action this summer. Her considerable achievements mean London is better placed than any previous Host City to deliver both a great Games and a fantastic legacy for east London.

“As we now move into a new phase, I am sure there is no better man than Daniel Moylan to ensure every possible ounce of benefit for Londoners is squeezed out of our Olympic legacy.”

He added: ‘Victoria Borwick’s track record on the London Assembly makes her the perfect candidate to be my Statutory Deputy Mayor and I know she will do an outstanding job in that role. I am delighted to be able to propose James Cleverly for important roles in which I know he will demonstrate great ability.’

Isabel Dedring, the Deputy Mayor for Transport said: “I am thrilled that the Mayor has asked me to take forward an agenda that will deliver millions of pounds of investment, help create thousands of jobs and make the improvements to the capital’s transport system that Londoners deserve.”

Daniel Moylan said: “The opportunity to help shape the future of the Olympic Park and regenerate this important part of east London is a great honour. I will work tirelessly with the Mayor to ensure that after staging the best Games ever we deliver a legacy that future host cities will aspire to. This means honouring our commitment to create thousands of new homes and jobs and a place with a vibrant public realm that people want to live, work and invest in.”

Victoria Borwick said: “It is an honour to be appointed statutory Deputy Mayor and I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to make the capital a better place to live and work for all Londoners and to help make a real difference to the greatest city in the world.”

James Cleverly said: “I relish the opportunity of these new roles at LfEPA and the London Resilience Forum and I’ll work tirelessly on the Mayor’s behalf to ensure Londoners remain as safe and secure as possible, particularly as we prepare to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.”

Notes:

Senior appointments to the TfL Board, the London Legacy Development Corporation and LfEPA are subject to any non-binding confirmation hearing that the London Assembly wish to hold.

Crossrail is expected to create tens of thousands of jobs in London and across the UK.

The overhaul of the capital’s transport network is well underway and those upgrades have created over 18,000 jobs. Those jobs break down as:

2,500 jobs created directly by London Underground.

A peak of 15,000 jobs created indirectly through the supply chain by London Underground.

225 jobs created by Tube Lines, which is part of Transport for London.

550 jobs created indirectly by Tube Lines.

Cllr Victoria Borwick AM

Victoria was born in London and has lived and worked here all her life. Married to Jamie, they have four children. Victoria has been a Kensington and Chelsea Councillor since 2002, and is Chairman of Borough Community Relations for the local Council.

As a Londonwide member of the London Assembly, she has served on the Transport Committee; led the investigation on reducing the congestion in Oxford Street in order to reduce accidents and examined more innovative solutions to the transport issues in this part of London. She also served on the Economy, Culture and Sport committee, including working on the scrutiny of the security for the Olympic games. Victoria has previously served on the Standards Committee and Confirmation Hearings Committee

As a Member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Victoria was the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Panel, and led the scrutiny of public order policing “Responding to G20″ , and a review of the use of DNA in policing: “Protecting the innocent.” Within the MPA, she was also Vice Chairman of the Communities, Equalities and People Committee.

As Chairman of the London Assembly’s Health and Public Services committee , Victoria has worked in cross party groups on improving access to childcare, reducing fuel poverty, a review of the emergency services including detailed work on the London Ambulance Service and how the Greater London Authority can help children in care.

A proven campaigner, Victoria worked for the OPEN EUROPE Think Tank campaigning to raise awareness on EU regulations, and previously held senior management positions at the P&O Group.

In her spare time Victoria is a member of the River Thames society, and is a keen advocate of increasing use of the river.

James Cleverly AM

James comes from a background in web and print publishing. He has a business degree from Thames Valley University and before being elected was the co-founder of a company that runs websites helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow and develop. Until February 2010 James was the Mayor’s Youth Ambassador.

For over 16 years James has been an officer in the Territorial Army, rising to the rank of Major, and until 2005 was the Officer Commanding 266 (Para) Battery Royal Artillery (Volunteers).

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said today that he is pressing ahead to seize the huge opportunity presented by the 2012 Games to help lead the capital out of the recession and deliver jobs, growth and prosperity for generations to come.

The Mayor, who will head to Greece later this month to collect the Olympic flame, has vowed that not only will London stage the best Games ever, but that it will deliver a lasting economic and social legacy long after the Games have gone.

To help secure vital investment that will bolster London’s economic future and help to create much-needed jobs for Londoners, the Mayor wants to showcase why the capital is the number one place to do business and invest in.

As part of that drive he revealed that more than 100 top business leaders from companies across the world have accepted invitations to take part in his ‘London House’ initiative.

Companies taking part include Microsoft, LG (CNS), Tata Consultancy, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, Time Warner, Paramount Pictures, Banco Itau, Tsingtao Brewery and Iberdrola Engineering and Construction.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “We have a fantastic summer ahead but I have always said that if the Games are to mean anything we must use them as a springboard from which we can transform this city for generations to come. We’re already seeing a renaissance in east London and billions of pounds worth of investment that would never have been secured had it not been for the Games.

“We have to capitalise on this positive momentum and as Mayor I will do all I can to help secure the Olympic legacy that has always been promised. By driving investment and helping to deliver thousands of new jobs, homes and infrastructure, we can make London an even better place to live and work, long after the Games have gone.”

The London House programme will see City Hall transformed into a hub for leading businesses to take part in debates, seminars and networking opportunities with representatives from UK leaders in technology, creative, environmental and financial services sectors.

The Mayor of London will also host a number of events and celebrations to help Londoners enjoy the excitement of 2012, including ones especially commissioned for a citywide programme that will add to and complement the London 2012 Festival.

Notes:

News and information about the Mayor’s programme of events this summer can be found at www.molpresents.com

The flame will travel 8,000 mile (12,800km) by relay until it reaches the stadium and marks the culmination of the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

From Tuesday 8 May some long term, but temporary, changes will be made to local traffic arrangements in the North Woolwich area to enable Crossrail works to take place.  These works are expected to last for around 18 months. 
 
Whilst undertaking these works it will be necessary to suspend one lane on part of both Albert Road and Connaught Road which will affect all local traffic including bus routes 473 and 474.  The diversion that will be put in place will be from the junction of Albert Road with Lord Street, with westbound traffic diverted along Factory Road, North Woolwich Road and Connaught Bridge.  
 
Eastbound traffic will not be affected and will continue to be able use Connaught Road and Albert Road.
  
During these works a number of bus stops will be closed with posters clearly displayed advising passengers of their nearest alternative bus stop.  All bus routes will continue to serve London City Airport.
  
When Crossrail opens in late 2018, it will transform journeys across London and the South East and transport around 200 million passengers a year with its trains carrying around 1,500 passengers each at peak times. 

For up to date travel information please visit www.tfl.gov.uk/livetravelnews or for information on how to plan your journey www.tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner
For further information about Crossrail visit www.crossrail.co.uk  
 
·         Crossrail will run 118km from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21km tunnels under central London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.  It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London’s key business districts.
 
·         With up to 24 trains per hour between Paddington and Whitechapel during peak times, Crossrail will carry over 200 million passengers each year. Each Crossrail train will be 200 metres long with the capacity to carry 1,500 passengers. 
 
·         Crossrail will support regeneration across the capital, helping to secure London’s position as a world leading financial centre, and cutting journey times across the city.
 
·         Crossrail is being delivered by Crossrail Limited (CRL).  CRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London.  Crossrail is jointly sponsored by the Department for Transport and Transport for London.