Saturday, November 29, 2008

Olympic obstacle...

With over 3 years to go it was nice to read about the first venue for the next Olympic Games being declared open [Link] the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) announced that the 2012 sailing venue was ready, ahead of time and on budget. The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is only a short drive from my UK pied-à-terre and most of the Dorset coastline is well worth visiting in it's own right [Jurassic Coast].

That said, Weymouth isn't the easiest place to get to, it may LOOK easy with two approach roads - one 'a major' A Road - and a railway, [Google map] but anyone who's actually been there can testify that it's bleedin' awful by road or rail...small, old, delapidated, two-carriage trains make the journey - but not as often as you'd think - and in summer when you would expect many more trains or carriages to be added to service a major seaside town then you'd be mistaken; also, the roads are clogged on even the slightest increase in traffic. So, the venue may be ready but if there are no plans to improve the approach or the ability to accomadate thousands of extra visitors apart from the normal holiday traffic then they can kiss goodbye to any plaudits they may get for being ready 3 years before the event!

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4 comments:

Paul said...

Day visitors are going to cause chaos getting across the causeway from Weymouth to Portland. The other good news is that the old Matelot accommodation is being converted into a hotel, the bad news is that the car park doesn't look big enough! I've got one client company already involved and another who has been asked to join bit wants to do it on her terms - she was a consultant for a large German company.

Did you know that Weymouth is unique in England when it comes to tidal range - it has the biggest differential between slowest and fastest tides.

Span Ows said...

Well tell 'em to get a move on...access and accomodation are going to be the sticking points...

Re the tides: No, I didn't know that!

Paul said...

I think somebody in Poole should do well out of this by operating a daily ferry service or from Bournemouth Pier.

You should see the new hotel though - typical ex-MOD, they must do something about the outside before 2012.

Span Ows said...

Oh...I know the 'style'... :-)