The Olympic route network (ORN)

The Olympic Route Network  Opens in a new window Opens in a new windowis both a specific set of roads, and the collective term for all the special routes used by games family vehicles during the Games. It is made up of core routes between central London and the Olympic Park at Stratford, venue routes, training routes and an alternative ORN, which will be used as a backup if the core is unavailable. There will also be a Paralympic Route Network, or PRN, with corresponding routes for use during the Paralympics.

A number of measures are being implemented on the ORN to keep traffic running smoothly. Chief among these is the suspension of roadworks immediately before and during the Games. There are also a number of temporary restrictions, such as banned turns and closed pedestrian crossings. Finally, there will be a limited number of ‘Games Lanes’. These lanes will be in use only where and when needed, on the busiest stretches of road, in order to meet journey time commitments made in the bid. The ORN represents less than three per cent of London’s roads; temporary Games Lanes will be in place on less than one per cent.

Our focus

While agreeing in principle that there is a need for the ORN, London Councils has lobbied Games organisers to make sure that it is only operational for as long as absolutely necessary and that the measures are proportionate. We have also questioned the need for the ORN to be available for sponsors to use.

The ORN will cause delivery restrictions – businesses with frontages on the network may need to accept deliveries between midnight and 6am.  In many cases, planning restrictions will prohibit deliveries at this time; boroughs will need to consider how they deal with these cases in a fair and consistent way