The Empire Weblog

Olympic Games 2012: Leipzig loses, London is one of the Winners

May 18, 2004

Just a few minutes ago, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revealed the official Candidate Cities for the Olympic Games 2012. The cities are: Paris, New York, Moscow, London and Madrid.

Leipzig's application was rejected. There have been some doubts Leipzig might not be able to deal with the large number of visitors. Also the infrastructure in and around Leipzig shall have been a factor for the rejection.

What a prejudiced point of view!

If the IOC would have looked into the past of Leipzig and the region around it, then it had seen how the entire area was making a tremendous effort to improve public transport, national rail services, motor ways, quality of living and many other things since the German Reunification. Furthermore, the IOC could have pictured what could have been possible until 2012. A outlook full of promise. A outlook they will never gain from London or New York!

However, a decision was made in favour of the known mega cities. As it often happens!

I do really wonder, how London can be nominated as a Candidate City! London has one of the worst public transport and also railway systems I have ever seen. The world famous Tube is running more and more a bad service. The tracks' state is worse than you would ever expect. In Germany, The Tube wouldn't be allowed to run under these conditions.

Alone four train derailments last year. The last one only one week ago.

For over one year now, Central London is "protected" by the Congestion Charge (CC) from individual traffic invasion. However, now buses and cabs are crowding Central London. A recent poll even shows the extension of the Congestions Charge to the Kensington and Earls Court is declined by the Londoners.
The Mayor of London sees a big success in the CC. On the one hand it is. On the other hand it is not really. As already stated, Central London is now crowded by cabs and busses. The urban rail services are as bad as the tube, maybe even worse. Travelling in and around London is a daily adventure. It's almost never possible to predict how long your journey from A to B will last. Often you can be happy to arrive and not to be forced to turn back.

I am definately conviced, that London will not be able to improve this clapped out public transport and railway system until 2005, July 5th, when the IOC will announce the city for the Olympic Games 2012.

I think, New York will not be a good choice either as it has equivalent problems as London does.

I wish Moscow and Paris good luck with their further application! They have deserved it to become the place for the Olympic Games in 2012 as Leipzig would have deserved it too.

This entry was posted at May 18, 2004 12:16 (UTC) from Dresden, DE.