Agenda item

(1)     The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games would have a significant effect on the County.  To identify the issues and what mitigation might be necessary to ensure that Kent kept moving an Integrated Olympic Transport Plan had been developed.  The plan was a multi agency approach to managing the road network to ensure that the County was prepared and included a number of mitigations to the impact of the games.  The plan did not have a financial impact although the publicity plan did require financial support that the Olympic Delivery Authority had offered to fund.  The plan sought to utilise existing resources and use the Highways Management Centre (HMC).

(2)     The Olympic Games and Paralympics would have an impact on Kent, due to a number of issues that the County faced as the Gateway to Europe.  With the importance of the access to mainland Europe through the Channel ports and the use of the strategic road network (M20/M25 & M2/A2) the County would be facing challenges as travel patterns changed.  The challenges faced by the County included the Olympic Torch Relay, the Paralympic Cycling event at Brands Hatch and Ebbsfleet International station being used as a transport hub during the main games.  Planning and mitigations to the impact of each were set out in the report.

(3)     Highways & Transportation staff had taken an active role in working with the multi-agency partners in preparing for unexpected events that could occur in Kent,  which had involved taking part in incident simulation exercises that tested the communications and readiness of all partners to respond in the event of emergencies.  In preparation for the games Kent Police would be following their normal emergency response procedures and would have silver command at Medway Police Station throughout the period of the Torch Relay and the games.  A District Manager from H&T would be present as part of the road cell within the command structure during the Relay and games periods.  At the same time the HMC would be open for 24 hours during both games time and would be available to deploy resources as necessary.  There had also been plans developed for dealing with a number of unexpected incidents that could occur across the county.  Examples included:-

·   Dealing with the real possibility of Operation Stack

·   Incidents on the HA network that could lead to increased congestion on Kent roads particularly around Ebbsfleet

·   Working with the HA on strategic diversion when the A20 was shut

(4)    During discussion Members expressed concern in relation to

·        Access for local residents during the cycling event at Brands Hatch

·        Fire authority coping with massive crowds at Ebbsfleet

·        Operation Stack

·        Adequate arrangements for coping with foot passengers

·        Impact on County Show

(5)    RESOLVED that:-

          (a)          the work being planned to ensure that the Olympics were a success for the travelling public in the County, be endorsed; and

          (b)          a briefing on the impact upon the Kent’s highway and transportation network, and the actions being planned to mitigate them, be arranged for all Members.