Editor Stephen Briers Tel 01733 468024 email stephen.briers@bauermedia.co.ukFleet News, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA. Published by Bauer AutomotiveSubscribe to FNe Click hereDownload FNe Click hereTell us what you think of FNe Click herefleet newswww.fleetnews.co.uk August 2011The London 2012 effectFleets urged to prepare now for Olympics disruptionRemarketing: Market stability hides underlying problemsCutting carbon footprintPwC finds drivers now seek the low CO2 option Click here to find out moreClick here for the full story

News insightJust one in 20 companies is ready for the OlympicsBy Gareth RobertsFewer than 5% of companies in the logistics sector feel 'totally prepared' to deal with the potential disruption presented to the supply chain by the London Olympics, research suggests. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) survey also found that around a third of respondents claim to have 'no knowledge' of how the Olympic Route Network or Games Lanes will operate.It blames the Government for a lack of information which has left the vast majority of logistics providers in and around London feeling unprepared for the arrival of the world's largest sporting event.Natalie Chapman, FTA's head of policy for London, said: "Commercial vehicle operators need to know which roads will be affected and in what ways - for example, will left-hand turns be banned or will loading and unloading restrictions be imposed? "How else can they be expected to keep up with the additional strain on demand that the Olympics is set to bring?"She added: "The logistics sector can't rise to the challenge unless it knows the parameters within which it is supposed to operate. "We would like this information to be made avail­able well before the end of the year, the time to which the Transport for London and the Olympic Delivery Authority seem to be working towards."Hugh Basham, transport strategy and policy director at DHL, expects London 2012 to have a major impact on all businesses in the capital."The key challenges for the logistics industry are going to be working around the revised traffic network and delivering during the compressed window of midnight to 6am," he said. "The greater clarity we can have now on the proposed changes to the route network, the better we'll be able to minimise the disruption."Modelling by Games organisers predict that August 3, 2012, will see an extra three million trips made on top of the 12 million trips on public transport being made on an average London workday. This is due to it being the first day for track and field, and with events at larger venues such as the Olympic Stadium and the Horse Guards Parade, the number of spectators are likely to peak.In order to manage the increased number of people using the capital's transport network, the Govern­ment wants commuters and Londoners to travel and work differently during the Games. For example, commuters are being urged to cycle or walk. Those who live further away are being Large numbers of spectators travelling to the Olympic Stadium may cause traffic woes