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London 2012 Games lanes: Traffic delays of two hours | |
(40 minutes later) | |
Drivers coming into London have faced delays of up to two hours after new restrictions came into force for the Olympics. | |
Lane restrictions have begun to be applied on the A12, A13 and A40. | Lane restrictions have begun to be applied on the A12, A13 and A40. |
By 11:20 BST the situation on the three roads had improved, although there was still some congestion with delays on approach roads. | |
Transport for London had warned journeys on the roads may take "considerably longer than usual". | Transport for London had warned journeys on the roads may take "considerably longer than usual". |
One motorist who called BBC London from the A13 said his normal hour-long drive from Swanley to Redbridge had already taken far longer than normal and he expected it to take about two and a half hours. | |
There was particularly heavy traffic on local roads in Canning Town and West Ham in east London. | |
And congestion was also seen in central London, with delays in Whitehall, Shaftesbury Avenue and Trafalgar Square. | |
The Mall is also closed due to Olympic preparations and motorists told of delays in Greenwich. | |
There have been changes to 120 key junctions, with more than 1,000 sets of traffic lights rephased due to the Games. | |
A fine of £130 will be issued to drivers who break the regulations, for instance by driving in Games lanes or stopping along the route. | |
Up to date traffic information on delays can be obtained from the BBC Travel news site for London. | |
'Unprecedented changes' | |
In a briefing before the problems began, a spokesman Transport for London, said: "Several major routes into London will be exceptionally busy on Monday morning as the capital continues its transformation into a huge sporting and cultural venue. | |
"The unprecedented scale of changes to London's roads, the arrival for the Games of 11,500 athletes, media and officials and the Torch Relay mean that there will be a significant impact on traffic in the capital. | "The unprecedented scale of changes to London's roads, the arrival for the Games of 11,500 athletes, media and officials and the Torch Relay mean that there will be a significant impact on traffic in the capital. |
"This impact will last for the duration of the Olympic Games." | "This impact will last for the duration of the Olympic Games." |
The changes are part of the establishment of the Olympic Route Network, which is intended to make sure athletes and officials can move around the city smoothly. | The changes are part of the establishment of the Olympic Route Network, which is intended to make sure athletes and officials can move around the city smoothly. |
It is due to href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/london-2012-olympic-route-network.pdf" >begin full operation on Wednesday. |