Olympic boost for commuters

Canary Wharf will gain thanks to the upgrading of the DLR to three-car trains and the extension of the network to Woolwich.

And Stratford Regional station, at the heart of the 2012 site, will benefit from a trebling in capacity.

The ODA’s director of transport Hugh Sumner said: “The Games will be the catalyst for improved transport links, needed to support revitalised communities and future generations in London long after 2012.
“Stratford Regional station, for example, has 37,000 daily commuters during the morning peak, and we predict this will rise to 83,000 by 2016.
“Commuters will benefit from our capacity and accessibility enhancements to the station two years before the Games.�

The news should come as some consolation for commuters, particularly those in Canary Wharf, who have struggled with disruption on the Underground and the DLR. But it also means at least another 18 months of work before they begin to feel the benefit.

The East London line closed at the end of last year and is not scheduled to reopen until early 2010, while the Jubilee line has been beset with delays and disruption while signal upgrade work is carried out.

Commissioner for Transport for London Peter Hendy is adamant the short-term pain is necessary for long-term gain.

He said: “We are getting on with delivering better public transport well before 2012.
“In the year ahead there are milestones in the upgrade of the Tube, the East London line and the DLR extensions to Woolwich and Stratford. Together this will increase the capacity, reliability and security of the network so that we are ready to host the 2012 Games.�

One alternative for Wharfers impatient for the work to finish could be to take advantage of the improvements made to cycling routes and get on their bikes.

Who knows, they might even find themselves lining up in the velodrome in 2012.