FTA Olympics Logistics Legacy heralds work of freight as national success story
Tuesday 18 December 2012
The logistics achievements throughout the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have been heralded as a ‘national success story’ by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and Transport for London (TfL), with teamwork being recognised at the heart of Olympics legacy for the freight industry.
Reported in the FTA document Logistics Legacy – Celebrating logistics achievement and innovation during Summer 2012, the close collaboration between London Government and London businesses has been a feature repeatedly cited by many contributors.
Described as a celebration of the success of the Games, the Logistics Legacy document acknowledges that much of the outstanding success of the London 2012 experience is owed to the meticulous advanced planning and commitment of numerous individuals across Government and industry that ensured London’s supply chains delivered the goods and services required.
The staging of the Olympic and Paralympic Games during the summer of 2012 presented challenges of huge complexity and uncertainty for everyone involved in supplying and servicing the city of London. Logistics had to not only supply the Olympic venues and other Games facilities, but keep London functioning as a world business centre and home to a population of 10 million people during the staging of the two biggest sports events on earth.
With an average 265,000 freight vehicles visiting the capital daily, which had to tackle the 109 mile Olympic Route Network in order to make deliveries, collaboration, understanding and flexibility were needed from all sides and according to the Logistics Legacy document that was exactly what happened.
“In the event, the sporting achievements were breathtaking and the public acclamation exceeded all expectations. In awarding medals for advance planning, real-time responsiveness and sheer determination to succeed, logistics can proudly take its place on the podium,” said FTA Chief Executive Theo de Pencier, adding: “Our secret weapon was the close collaboration between London Government and London businesses, and one that we are determined be preserved and developed as part of our legacy from ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.”
The work carried out by all in the logistics industry is recorded within the Logistics Legacy with interviews from a variety to freight operators, including Bidvest Logistics, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Clean Linen Services, Marks and Spencer, Viridor Waste, UPS, DHL Express and highway maintenance group FM Conway.
Within the document, TfL Freight Programme Manager Ian Wainwright said: “The Games taught us that we need a better conversation with one another. We engaged the industry with our daily bulletins about the road network and we received a huge amount of feedback.”
And referring to the Olympic legacy Wainwright added: “This is not about what Transport for London, FTA or what freight operators will do now, this is about what we will do together.”
An additional demonstration of the way in which the industry ‘worked together’ throughout the games, was illustrated through a project of filmed reports involving DHL, TfL and FTA. Prior to, during and post Games the organisations collaborated in the production of a series of films depicting the expectations, experiences and lessons learnt from the Olympics and Paralympics.
Graham Inglis, DHL Chief Executive acknowledged the working relationship and communication as key elements to the success of the Games delivery: “In terms of the legacy for DHL was the way in which the logistics industry worked together with one aim, but it is important now that we keep that dialogue going.”
FTA Press Office
01892 552255
press.office@fta.co.uk
