Call Sign August 2011
Page 20
So why does Call Sign have
Lord Coe: Taxis WILL
its' doubts!!!
Lord Sebastian Coe, undoubtedly one of the
use the ORN...
UK's finest-ever Olympic athletes and now in
charge of organising next year's London
Olympic Games, has admitted that there will
be challenges surrounding transport, but has
The ORN at the
denied that the Olympic Routes Network - sup-
Bejing Games
posedly reserved for Olympic traffic - will
caused chaos,
cause problems.
will it also
After saying that talk of transport arrange-
happen in
ments being chaotic was very wide of the
London?
mark and stating that the Olympic route net-
works would cover just 1% of the roads, he
added that he would bust another myth by
saying that taxis and buses will use the major-
ity of the Olympic route network roads and
the committee would ensure that London
keeps working. Lord Coe added that £6.4bn
was being spent on improving transport ready
for the Games (see article on page 18).
Hopefully the Olympic Delivery Authority
(ODA) and the London Organising Committee
of the Olympic and Paralympics Games
(LOCOG) will organise something that will
allow the licensed taxi trade to use the
use the lanes. Electioneering? Perhaps, but if it
ets will get free transport in London.
Olympic Route Networks. But if they do, it will
helps...
Worryingly, some of the London routes that
be the first time in Olympic history that taxis
London's trade organisations are currently in
will have priority lanes in force every day
have been allowed to use the ORNs. In fact
negotiations with the ODA and whilst going on
include the Victoria Embankment, Blackwall
Call Sign had a warning in 2000 following the
previous form it seems unlikely, we await to
Tunnel approach, Stratford High Street and
Sydney Games when our correspondent over
see what actions will be taken by this trade to
the A12.
there told us that taxis had been banned from
show our feelings. But it did seem that some
Has the committee suddenly had a change
the ORNs and that nothing but nothing would
drivers would accept the ban during the Games
of heart following rumours of taxi "action?" It
change the mind of what has become known
so long as Addison Lee weren't allowed to use
would be the first time if they have and Call
as the Olympic Family. Even former Mayor
the ORN. Now we hear that those buying tick-
Sign somehow doubts that they will...
Ken Livingstone says we should be allowed to
Melinda
Melinda
shows Call
Sign her
medal
`Races
`For Life!'
Melinda Shapiro, daughter of Dial-a-
Cab driver Laurie (H62), successfully
completed the Race for Life through the
City of London on 12 June in aid of
Cancer Research UK taking 56 minutes to
complete the 5K course that began at the
Guildhall.
Dial-a-Cab drivers contributing gen-
erously to the collecting tin in Driver
Reception helped Melinda raise over
£850.
The Shapiro family know all about the
battle against cancer and Melinda told
Call Sign how touched she had been by
the donations placed into the tin.
"I would like to say a very big thank you
to everyone that gave me money and
helped me raise such a great amount. I still
have a bit to collect to get the final total.
Thank you so much to DaC for letting
me leave my collection box at the office
and thanks to Alan for the publicity in
Call Sign."
