MEASURES designed to combat transport gridlock in Waltham Forest during the Olympics will not be enough to prevent major disruption, it is claimed.

With just weeks to go until the Games start, further concerns have been raised that residents will experience severe problems on both the roads and rail network.

Despite objections from Waltham Forest Council earlier this year, Transport for London (TfL) is pressing ahead with a raft of road restrictions in and around the borough, while fears have also been raised about the capacity of the train network.

It has emerged that the Gospel Oak to Barking line will not be running any extra services during the Games, unlike other overground routes.

Meanwhile on the Tube network, Leyton and Leytonstone have both been earmarked as potential “overflow” stations if there are problems at Stratford next to the Olympic Park.

Thousands may be urged to disembark at Leyton at the rate of 800 people every ten minutes.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, cabinet member for environment, said TfL had made some concessions on its traffic plans, such as agreeing to lift restrictions in the weeks between the Olympics and Paralympics, but said he remained concerned.

TfL plans to divert traffic along Lea Bridge Road and Whipps Cross Road to help alleviate congestion on the A12, which will have a VIP-only lane.

Further restrictions include the closure of the A12 sliproad on the Green Man roundabout in Leytonstone between 6am and 11am, and the shutting off of the Lea Interchange exits.

Cllr Loakes said: "While I understand the need for TfL's Games-time traffic management plans I'm still concerned about the impact they will have on the borough's residents and businesses, especially those in the south of the borough.”

The council has also expressed scepticism at the accuracy of TfL's traffic flow models, while its director of public realm Keith Henshaw told a transport meeting in April that disruption would be “top scale”.

Richard Pout, secretary of the Gospel Oak to Barking Line User Group (BGOLUG) expressed concern at plans for a normal timetable on the route.

He said: “Many commuters and games spectators are likely to divert to the line in an attempt to avoid packed trains and gridlocked streets. Instead, they will find trains already packed at peak times and long waits for equally busy trains after 10pm.

“with a ban on engineering work during the Games, there is no reason why a Saturday service could not be operated on Sundays”.

Transport for London’s Chief Operating Officer for Rail, Howard Smith, said: “Our passenger demand modelling suggests that there will be a relatively small increase in passenger numbers on the Barking to Gospel Oak during the Olympics. However, there will be high demand on the North London line.

“We are confident that the Barking line currently has all the capacity it needs and will cope with any increase in demand during the Olympic period.”

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