Transport
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring many transport improvements for Hackney. The Games will attract large numbers of visitors to the area and our transport network is being improved to cater for this increase.
This will also provide improvements within and around Hackney that will continue long after the Games have finished. Improvements include new and enhanced cycling and walking routes as well as improvements to the public transport network.
A lot of this work is already underway and significant improvements to Hackney’s transport arrangements will be in place a long time before the Games start.
For information about getting to the Games during 2012, click here.
What’s going on now
Public transport in Hackney is already getting better: the borough will be properly linked to the tube network for the first time via the extension of the East London Line.
Hackney’s transportation team is securing extra funding for future improvements to the Borough’s transportation network.
Construction at the park is well under way and we are working with the Olympic Delivery Authority to make sure that the effect of construction traffic is kept to a minimum.
Between now and 2012
Construction of the East London Line is going well. The new line is due to open in the summer of 2010. The extension will provide four new stations to the London Borough of Hackney and its community. The link to Highbury and Islington will be finished before the Games start.
Improvements to the London Overground network in London are currently under way. The old North London Line will soon be part of the London Orbital Railway which will link Hackney to the rest of London. There will be new carriages, on longer trains running twice as often.
High Speed 1 link is now operating which brings passengers from Kings Cross to the new Stratford International terminal in only seven minutes.
Olympic Greenways
Hackney will have three Olympic Greenways, providing high quality walking and cycling access to the Olympic Park both during the Games and afterwards. Two of these routes will be along existing routes along the canals and one is new: the Hackney Parks route which links Finsbury Park to Victoria Park, passing through many of Hackney’s green spaces. Physical works will begin on these routes soon.
Hackney’s ongoing commitment to making the public environment better will see many streets in Hackney improved as the Games get nearer.
After the Games
About a third of the Olympic park lies within the London Borough of Hackney. Immediately after the Olympic and Paralympic Games, work will begin on transforming the park into its legacy layout and uses.
The Council is working with the Olympic Delivery Authority to achieve the best possible road layout within the park. Also, the transport team is ensuring that high quality walking and cycling links are established into and across the park from Hackney. Plans are in place for public transport connections into and through the new park.
Local traffic during the Games
During the Games, parts of Hackney will be affected by the Olympic Route Network, a government-assigned section of roads. We are working to make sure that any effects from the Olympic Road Network are minimised so that Hackney’s residents and businesses can get around as usual with minimal disruption.
We are expecting large numbers of spectators to visit Hackney during the Games and we will be working with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) to ensure that effective crowd management is in place.
Temporary parking controls may be required during the games in order to protect our streets from spectator parking. However, details of any proposal are yet to be developed and we will consult with any communities affected as required.
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010