It’s building into a monumental public relations disaster, the decision to hold the 2012 Olympic road races over beautiful Box Hill in Surrey next July. With the Test Event only a week away, the organisers are saying crowds should stay away because spectator access is to be limited on the Zig Zag climb. All foot paths in the area are to be closed to the public!
It’s hard to credit that the opening event of the 2012 London Games, the spectacular road cycle races to be televised live to billions worldwide, has caused so much strife because of rare plants and insects.
Not that these little darlings are to blame. Pity the organisers didn't learn early on that an area they saw only as a natural public grandstand was so rich in rare species.
Why, I even heard from National Trust member that dormice would be at risk if television had its way and had the tree canopy cut back to allow aerial coverage from helicopters. Dormice get across the road by use of the trees, apparently. Fascinating.
Bet Lord Seb Coe, the boss of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG), didn’t know that when he cited Box Hill as a wonderful place to come and see the race. If you’re a dormouse, possibly, or a Roman Snail, or any of the other precious creatures who will now have the place to themselves.
Makes you wonder why the National Trust agreed to have the Olympic event there in the first place, if they are now so concerned of possible damage caused by thousands of feet to this Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Apparently, LOCOG went over Natural England’s heads by approaching the National Trust first with the idea to run the Olympic road races through Surrey.
There are plenty of other climbs in Surrey. Perhaps the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games will relocate next July’s road races if the forthcoming Test Event on Box Hill proves problematic.
But in London and elsewhere in the county, the race will all probably go with a swing, this unique occasion to watch Britain’s Mark Cavendish take on the world’s top riders on home soil.
Afterall, there is a healthy precedent for a big race like this, the even bigger Tour de France, which has twice visited England in the last 16 years, to massive public acclaim. There were road closures galore –no problems. Even the air space above the course was closed.
Millions turned out to watch two stages of the Tour in 1994 and again in 2007 when it began from London. And the Tour is a far bigger event than the Olympic road race, often requiring traffic islands and refuges removed to allow passage of 200 riders sandwiched between two huge motorcades, including the commercial caravan preceding it.
As to the views of a minority of local people in my local paper, complaining about the lengthy road closures, get a life. You would think it was a natural disaster coming your way. Go out and witness a unique event. Take some butties, a flask of tea or coffee. Wave a flag. Just stay clear off Box Hill.
Or stay at home and play scrabble.
Roll on Sunday the 14th. I’ll be rooting for Cav as the race storms into Dorking down West Street.
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