Inside the strategy that kept the city moving during the Olympics.
Leon Daniels, a global transport expert and former managing director of surface transport at Transport for London, played a key role in the logistics of the 2012 London Olympics.
1) Lean into public and/or private partnerships.
In London, the extensive bus network was delivered by private operators while the mayor’s office oversaw planning. Collaboration between public authorities and private experts delivered comprehensive, well-coordinated transit operations, Daniels says. This partnership model helped London prepare its transport infrastructure for the Olympic surge.
2) Implement travel demand management.
One facet of London’s approach was cutting everyday transportation demand by 30%, a concept known as travel demand management. “We encouraged people to work from home where possible to take some of the strain off the public transit system,” he said. They also met with businesses individually, encouraging them to adjust their logistics to accommodate the setback. Offices, for example, were encouraged to order twice as much printer paper in June and skip July delivery.
3) Tap into technology.
Cubic helped implement key infrastructure improvements, including fare integration systems, and provided real-time passenger data. Anonymized mobile phone data was instrumental in tracking crowd flow, ensuring transit authorities could address surges. As L.A. prepares for similar scenarios, Daniels recommended using mobile apps, social media and up-to-date signage to help passengers make informed travel decisions.
4) Prepare for passenger surges.
To ensure smooth movement of spectators, London did more than extend service hours and add to its fleet. The city also rerouted road networks, developing a flexible system that made changes like converting turn lanes to straight lanes at peak times.
5) Coordinate with traffic contributors.
London officials like Daniels also worked with utility companies and road repair crews to complete their work ahead of crunch time so every route would be open. They did the same with underground metro repairs. “By the time we got to July 2012, the road network and the rail network were in fabulous shape,” Daniels said. “We were able to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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