DAMN RIGHT: 100m crawl
by SCOTT SAXON
February 23, 2012
In response to the heavy traffic expected in London during this summer’s Olympic Games, 100 miles’ worth of road will be reserved to allow athletes, visiting heads of state and sponsors to travel unimpeded. Fearing the unprecedented delays will put those suffering health emergencies at greater risk, National Health Services London requested permission to access to the “Games Roads.” Transport for London and the Olympic Organizing Committee, however, denied the request. Ambulances would have to inch through the steel mire with the rest of the expendables.
TfL cited “significant demand” from several entities, but felt granting approval would “undermine the performance of the Olympic Route Network.”
Leah Bevington of London Medical Services said traffic is already difficult for ambulances to maneuver, and was appalled that the OOC had no consideration for the additional slow-downs Londoners might face to get life-saving medical treatment.
Although the NHS can travel freely in “blue light” situations, reserved for the most immediately life-threatening crises, Bevington points out that anything else will be forced to sit in traffic.
—SCOTT SAXON
Short URL: http://www.montrealmirror.com/wp/?p=29730
