London Update --Transport Plan Includes Severe Fines, Johnson Under Scrutiny

It has not been a good week for London Mayor Boris Johnson. As well as losing his chosen Olympic adviser, David Ross, who resigned over a multi-million-pound share investigation, he has been forced to accept the principle of Olympic traffic lanes in 2012 and he may face suspension following a formal written complaint.London Mayor Boris Johnson accused of "potentially corrupting" Damian Green investigation. (Getty Images)

Jim Fitzpatrick, the government’s transport minister, launched a consultation document for London’s Olympic Route Network on Thursday, involving major routes around Stratford and other 2012 venues.

The consultation process is to last 14 weeks, and includes proposals for Olympic lanes for the exclusive use of the IOC, athletes and media, with fines of up to $7,000 for unauthorized use. Johnson made it known that he was fundamentally opposed to the so-called “Zil Lanes," but it seems that his objections have been overruled.

Under the proposals outlined in the document, journey times will be slower than originally suggested in London’s 2004 bid document. For example, journey times via the Olympic lanes from Park Lane, where the IOC will stay, to the equestrian events in Greenwich will take 22 minutes. For athletes in the Olympic Village who need to compete at Wembley, travel time will be around 41 minutes.

“Good transport will be absolutely vital to ensure everyone can enjoy the 2012 events, while still allowing Londoners to go about their normal business,” Fitzpatrick said at the launch. He was supported by Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson, who said that transport would “make or break” the London Games.

“When it works, people don't talk about it,” warned Grey-Thompson, who competed at Atlanta in 1996, “but when it doesn't work, when you have athletes missing events - that is just devastating.”

Johnson Accused over Police Row

Boris Johnson’s position could be reviewed after opposition leader Len Duvall filed a formal complaint about Johnson's involvement in a police raid on Parliament. Possible sanctions for Johnson include suspension from office and even removal.

In the complaint, Duvall accuses Johnson – who, as mayor, also oversees the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) – of "potentially corrupting” a police investigation into leaks from a Whitehall civil servant to a Tory MP. Duvall says that Johnson made four “clear and serious” breaches in conduct by speaking to his Conservative party colleague, MP Damian Green, after he was arrested, and by speaking about the case publicly after receiving confidential briefings from the police.

Investigators will decide next week whether the mayor should face a formal inquiry.

Scottish Football Dispute Prompts Commons Fight

There was a heated exchange in the House of Commons on Wednesday over whether united Great Britain soccer teams will go to the Olympics in 2012. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are resistant to playing as Britain for fear of losing their separate status in World Cups and European championships. Jim Murphy's (left) plan for a united 2012 Great Britain football team led to a heated exchange with Scots Nationalist MP Pete Wishart in the House of Commons. (Getty Images)

At Westminster, Scots Nationalist MP Pete Wishart harangued the government minister for Scotland, Jim Murphy.

“Will the secretary of state not get it into his skull that the Scottish Football Association, the tartan army and the vast majority of Scottish football fans want nothing whatsoever to do with his Team GB, and that his and the prime minister’s attempt to bully Scotland into a Team GB threatens the very continuation of the Scottish football team?” Wishart said.

“He does not want a one-off British Olympic football team," Murphy responded, "but nor does he want a British Olympic cycling team that Chris Hoy did so well in, a British rowing team that Katherine Grainger did so well in, and a British Paralympics team that Aileen McGlynn did so well in."

…Briefs

…Environmentalists in Dorset have halted work on the building of a relief road aimed at easing Olympic congestion around 2012 sailing venue Weymouth. Construction on the $130 million project stopped on Tuesday when The Woodland Trust threatened to take legal action, claiming the route would damage the environment. Last year, campaigners lost a High Court legal bid to stop the road. A surge of bets were placed this week on swimmer Rebecca Adlington winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. She and cyclist Chris Hoy round out a pool of 10. (Getty Images)

… There have been allegations of “unusual betting patterns” over the outcome of Sunday night’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year show. Seven Olympic gold medalists from Beijing, including cyclist Chris Hoy and swimmer Rebecca Adlington, make up the shortlist of 10. Bookmakers’ early favorite was Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, believing the Olympians would offset one another.

That was until a surge of big bets on Adlington. It is “the biggest gamble we've ever seen at this stage of the event," according to bookie William Hill.

No swimmer has won the BBC award since Anita Lonsbrough in 1962. The last cyclist to take the title was Tom Simpson in 1965.

Written by Steven Downes

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