Olympic workers told not to drive to work

Workers at the London Olympics have been told to take public transport to work as part of measures to keep its Stratford neighbours happy.

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced 10 “community commitments” to help reduce the impact of construction on local communities.

These include reducing congestion on roads, recycling waste and the introduction of a 24-hour hotline for people with complaints about onsite behaviour or practices.

ODA chief executive David Higgins said: “We want to ensure we are a good neighbour and that the Park is a safe and secure environment for both workers on site and the local community living close by.”

It has also set up the Olympic Park Engagement Network (OPEN), which will aim to bring together community representatives and ODA bosses.

The 10 commitments are:

• To reduce private car use and actively encourage our workforce to use alternative transport modes to travel to the Olympic Park
• Operate a free phone construction hotline 24hrs a day, providing a direct line through to the community relations team.
• Manage deliveries to site by providing dedicated times and routes to the Olympic Park
• Communicate progress on site to local residents and implement an active community engagement programme
• Be a responsible neighbour, actively encourage staff to be respectful and accountable for their actions at all times.
• Manage and mitigate the impacts of the construction project by implementing an environmental management programme.
• Promote local employment and training opportunities on the Olympic Park.
• Promote and provide mechanisms to communicate opportunities for local businesses.
• Recycle, reduce and reuse materials on the site to minimise waste. 
• Provide a safe and secure environment across the Olympic Park.