We exchanged ideas and information with a large number of organisations, spanning BOCOG, transport operators and a range of government agencies.
In a city of 18 million people (roughly three times that of London) and an exploding number of cars on Beijing’s roads, the city has a huge transport challenge.
What was very encouraging from out meetings with the experts in their fields was that our transport planning for the 2012 Games in London is using very similar approaches and methodologies to assess the transport impacts of the Games and, as a result of our trip, we have added confidence in the work we have done to date for the London Games.
After our visits our hosts very kindly took us to some very traditional Chinese restaurants where we sampled some fantastic culinary delights such as Eight-Treasure Tea made from chrysanthemums, goji berries tree bark and other 'treasures'.
I thought we’d become fairly adept with chopsticks by the second or third day, but we were all left wanting when it came to the fish jelly.
We learned a huge amount from our trip and have made several valuable relationships which we hope will help us gather further information and understanding on the road to 2012, but we were particularly struck by one piece of advice from the BOCOG transport team: "Think of the transport plans for the Games as a table. If it has six legs it will be rock solid, if it has four legs it will be fit for purpose, and if the plans are changed to the extent that it only has three legs it is likely to wobble. Therefore, at all costs, make sure you have three legs, but instil in those in charge the importance of transport to the Games, in order to secure four legs and therefore a solid, reliable transport operation to make your city proud."
Hugh, myself and Paul at the 'Birds Nest':
