The pay back will be in years to come, people will have seen London on TV, heard how great the Olympics have been and will want to visit London. Expect Tourism to leap up.
If there was a leaky roof of one of the major stations in Beijing, everyone would be smirking and saying how they have rushed things and how they aren't ready or as developed as us etc. etc.
Telling people to stay away from a major station, and then also telling them to stay away from the DLR, North Greenwich, Stratford and the Central Line doesn't really work if, for instance, you live in SE London and work in Westfield Stratford!
I love the fact we have The Olympics and I have watched as much of it as possible, but we really are scraping through when it comes to the organisation of the whole thing
I'll remember the buckets and bins and the drips thanks. nothing to do with the olympics, but weeks of people tripping up, they'll remember them too.
hoorah for cross rail for those that can get it in a few years time after the olympics and the fast javelin train from kent to london (through following some on twitter that get it - it is late more often than not).
anyway, i'm not being negative about the olympics, just pointing out that 'stay away from london bridge' was not a great plan for the process. don't suppose those that have stayed away get a refund on their travel cards?
I can't help but think that if they hadn't have told people to steer clear of London Bridge (and come on, we're talking about two/three working weeks here-15 days max) and there had been huge overcrowding which led to people missing trains/events there would have been far more complaints and negative impact.
They couldn't just double capacity at London Bridge for a two week event so they had to work with what we had whilst building a sensible legacy out of the funding that was available. I think they've done fantastically.
I was anti-olympics more because of the travel possibly affecting my commute, well I have been swept up in the Olympic wave and managed to bag myself a ticket for the Velodrome yesterday. What a day, so pleased I decided to go.
If they can put 10 carriages on during this period why not normally- suggest we all write some letters i rarely get a seat in the mornings when i train it
I haven't seen a single event and being completely out of touch with all things UK, it means that I haven't really missed it. I'm delighted that it's going well. People, be they athletes, musicians, actors or footballers at the peak of their powers are always worth watching and live on in the memory for many a year. Interestingly, here in remoter parts of the S. of France, there is an veritable outbreak of items sporting the Union Jack. I've never seen that before, so who knows, they may even be selling English wine and cheeses here next?
Central line has been crap, but overall the infra structure has held up well.
South Eastern have been running all their services with 10 carriages. First day after the Olympics, they'll go back to running them with 6 again. If they can do it for 2 weeks, surely they can do it permanently.
Thinking exactly the same thing. Can't argue with the service they have put on so far, so why can't they do it for the rest of the year
They can, but more trains in service = less trains available for maintenance during the day = more intense maintenance in a narrow window at night = more overtime and night shift working = higher operating costs = highr fares. Also, it's probably unsustainable over a longer period without recruiting more staff. And reliability will probably drop as the opportunity to rectify faults decreases
Well done London,so far the Games have been a great success for you and the UK participants.
However there is the rest of the country that hasn't benefited from the investment, there are the non Olympics sports that have had their grants cut or removed.
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe.
So enjoy the Games, rejoice in the GB medal haul and then when it is finished ask yourself if such a huge investment of time, money and resources was worth it for the whole of GB.
The best thing for me has been getting home at night and being greeted by 13 year old daughter, given results from the whole day. She normally has no interest in sport. Next is my cousin is in the states for 3 weeks and my aunt and uncle are looking after his dog, but don't take the dog. Every day I have gone and got him and taken him down Ruxley golf club with my dog.Taken them over the 9 hole course, then met my uncle in the clubhouse ( he drinks down there every night apart from Sundays when he does a lunchtime). We then sit down and have a few pints and watch the olympics together whilst the dogs lay at our feet. Bloody perfect.
Well done London,so far the Games have been a great success for you and the UK participants.
However there is the rest of the country that hasn't benefited from the investment, there are the non Olympics sports that have had their grants cut or removed.
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe.
So enjoy the Games, rejoice in the GB medal haul and then when it is finished ask yourself if such a huge investment of time, money and resources was worth it for the whole of GB.
You could literally say that about anything, it's madness to try and disparage the Olympics because it won't fix the worlds woes.
It's the first time in years that the British people haven't been majorly cynical about a big event whilst it is happening - which is a tremendous feeling.
Well done London,so far the Games have been a great success for you and the UK participants.
However there is the rest of the country that hasn't benefited from the investment, there are the non Olympics sports that have had their grants cut or removed.
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe.
So enjoy the Games, rejoice in the GB medal haul and then when it is finished ask yourself if such a huge investment of time, money and resources was worth it for the whole of GB.
In case you forgot its called the London Olympics 2012 not the UK Olympics. I also think but could be wrong that those of you not living in London have not been asked to buy a walnut whip every week for the last seven years.
Well done London,so far the Games have been a great success for you and the UK participants.
However there is the rest of the country that hasn't benefited from the investment, there are the non Olympics sports that have had their grants cut or removed.
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe.
So enjoy the Games, rejoice in the GB medal haul and then when it is finished ask yourself if such a huge investment of time, money and resources was worth it for the whole of GB.
Yes, because the money wouldn't have been 'found' to spend on anything else anyway so nothing else is losing out in reality. Obviously not right but that's reality. Way more positives than negatives out of these Olympics imho.
Well done London,so far the Games have been a great success for you and the UK participants.
However there is the rest of the country that hasn't benefited from the investment, there are the non Olympics sports that have had their grants cut or removed.
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe.
So enjoy the Games, rejoice in the GB medal haul and then when it is finished ask yourself if such a huge investment of time, money and resources was worth it for the whole of GB.
That investment would not have been spent on the infrastructure of gb in the hospitals and schools
It would've been pissed away by the government in all cases
The Olympics are something to behold a spectacle like no other
The amount of jobs generated have been huge
I have had to employ ten people everyday above what I would normally use
All of these guys and girls have had an experience they couldn't imagine
And have not only been paid a decent wage have had tickets to go to events passes that give them access to things they would never have got
Ask them If it has been a waste of time
I would wager all of them would say its been a positive experience for them
The problem is you can't please everyone all the time
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe
It's a well established fact that urban areas pay more in tax than they receive back in benefits while for rural areas the reverse is true.
The Olympics can and seems to be creating a goodwill factor - after several years of recession, poor government and doon'n'gloom it's good to see that as a nation we are not as crap as the Daily Mail would like us to think.
I feel sorry for anyone who hasn't been moved by the fantastic performances from our sportsmen and women. I feel such pride in our small country that we can put on such a spectacle. London will reap the benefit for a long time to come. The city has looked fantastic and all those viewing from overseas must be pretty impressed and will hopefully want to visit us in the future. London looked great on the women's marathon this morning despite the rain.
The feel good factor for a large percentage of the population is very valuable.
We have all paid for the Olympics in our taxes and in the way lottery money has been diverted into the Olympics away from other causes. Also 'elete' sports people who are not in the Olympics have had their funding withdrawn. I agree that Londoners have paid more, but then you have the legacy, we don't.
Who and what sports that are elite have had their funding withdrawn ? Examples please.
I only know of one, as I have only met one sports person, and that is one GB's foremost indoor bowls players. Now that might be a minority sport to you but then skeet shooting is a minority sport to me.
We have all paid for the Olympics in our taxes and in the way lottery money has been diverted into the Olympics away from other causes. Also 'elete' sports people who are not in the Olympics have had their funding withdrawn. I agree that Londoners have paid more, but then you have the legacy, we don't.
You highlight all the problems but what are your solutions ? What would have been better ?
I would imagine Lancashire is a net beneficiary tax wise, so this is your oppertunity to say thank you to London for funding your life.
Who and what sports that are elite have had their funding withdrawn ? Examples please.
I only know of one, as I have only met one sports person, and that is one GB's foremost indoor bowls players. Now that might be a minority sport to you but then skeet shooting is a minority sport to me.
Not suggesting you are wrong but is this person a full time bowler and what has he had withdrawn ?
The British guy that won the shooting lost his lottery funding, thankfully he got trained and funded by sheik Ahmed of Dubai, he calls him his Dubai father an best friend.
Probably said above but did't londoners pay more in council tax specifically for the olympics as well as contributing more in taxes for the last millenia yet paying more for just about everything, and still suffering more than our share of crime and social issues?
Comments
Telling people to stay away from a major station, and then also telling them to stay away from the DLR, North Greenwich, Stratford and the Central Line doesn't really work if, for instance, you live in SE London and work in Westfield Stratford!
I love the fact we have The Olympics and I have watched as much of it as possible, but we really are scraping through when it comes to the organisation of the whole thing
They couldn't just double capacity at London Bridge for a two week event so they had to work with what we had whilst building a sensible legacy out of the funding that was available. I think they've done fantastically.
If you're interested some more info in the transport legacy is here;
http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/london-2012/travel-legacy
Yer, a team that have playe a whole 5 games together really let themselves down....
However there is the rest of the country that hasn't benefited from the investment, there are the non Olympics sports that have had their grants cut or removed.
Yes we can all enjoy the TV spectacle for a few weeks but after that our hospitals will still be mismanaged, our education system will still be inadequate, our young people will still be engaged in a pointless war and our politicians,of all parties, will still not have a solution to the economic mess that is Western Europe.
So enjoy the Games, rejoice in the GB medal haul and then when it is finished ask yourself if such a huge investment of time, money and resources was worth it for the whole of GB.
This is really surprising because black cab drivers are normally so positive about any change that affects them in any way.
sure you would be positive taking a 50% pay cut so a load of freeloaders can have a jolly up
Way more positives than negatives out of these Olympics imho.
That investment would not have been spent on the infrastructure of gb in the hospitals and schools
It would've been pissed away by the government in all cases
The Olympics are something to behold a spectacle like no other
The amount of jobs generated have been huge
I have had to employ ten people everyday above what I would normally use
All of these guys and girls have had an experience they couldn't imagine
And have not only been paid a decent wage have had tickets to go to events passes that give them access to things they would never have got
Ask them If it has been a waste of time
I would wager all of them would say its been a positive experience for them
The problem is you can't please everyone all the time
It's a well established fact that urban areas pay more in tax than they receive back in benefits while for rural areas the reverse is true.
The Olympics can and seems to be creating a goodwill factor - after several years of recession, poor government and doon'n'gloom it's good to see that as a nation we are not as crap as the Daily Mail would like us to think.
The feel good factor for a large percentage of the population is very valuable.
I would imagine Lancashire is a net beneficiary tax wise, so this is your oppertunity to say thank you to London for funding your life.