Sumner's Olympian memo tells it like it is!

This from Hugh Sumner, Director Transport, ODA...

Dear staff,

The nation’s toughest task, your moment in the global spotlight, millions of smiling spectators.

You grasped the task with both hands and I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of you.

Some seven years ago Britain won the honour of hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The nation held its breath in excitement; for many, from the journalists to members of the International Olympic Committee, grave concern existed in our ability to hold such an important and significant world event. They said it couldn’t be done. You did it.

Together you’ve been at the heart of the most successful Games of the modern era. From Weymouth to Glasgow and from Cardiff to Hadleigh, you’ve served people from all over the world irrespective of who they are or where they come from.

You’ve done things better than they’ve ever been done before. Your customer service has been terrific and the spectators noticed and loved you for it; your attention to the operational detail has been excellent and it’s made a real difference. Your desire to work together and find the solutions that work for everyone has made the greatest challenges surmountable.

In all of it you lived the values of safety, service and fun. None of that happened through luck or by chance. You worked hard to get here and in your planning, building and preparations you set the foundations for success. Look back now on a glorious summer of operations and ask yourself: what have we done that’s made all this possible? Don’t wait to take hold of the things that have made you so successful, take hold of them now and put them into practice for your future life.

Walk tall, push your chest out a little further, you deserve to feel yourself fill with pride; carry this pride with you always. The greatest show on earth, our nation’s greatest peace time challenge: you have made it an unparalleled success. Take that pride with you and put it to work in everything you do: every one of you is the true legacy of London 2012.

All the best for the future, wherever it may be and whatever you may do.

Hugh

Hugh Sumner
Director of Transport, Olympic Delivery Authority

Good effort. That is all.

Gordon Brown breaks Javelin embargo

Oh dear.

It looks like the PM is off message.

This from the Number 10 website:

Gordon Brown called the Javelin train’s first weekday journey, “a momentous day in the long and glorious history of British railways” during the official launch of the UK’s first domestic high-speed rail service at St Pancras International station this morning.

Putting aside the interesting quote about the 'glorious history of British railways' hasn't the dear leader committed a faux pas by referring to South Eastern's high speed train as a 'Javelin'?

This name, we are constantly reminded, cannot be used before the London 2012 Olympics (copyright ODA).

Can it be long before threatening letters are sent to Downing Street?

UPDATE: This from Lobby Fodder...

I'm amazed at Brown's bare faced cheek!

Take this quote from the same release:

“I know some people who think this is not the time to be investing in infrastructure but I believe it is essential to do so and we will be investing £20 billion in our rail infrastructure in the next few years.”

Talk about making spending commitments with someone else's budget.

I suspect the "we" he is referring to will be in opposition within six months and therefore not in a position to invest in anything.

Apart from cleaners and painting summer houses obviously...

Robbing Peter...

It's difficult to know whether TfL or the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will run out of money first.

On current form it looks neck and neck.

TfL announced this week that it has descoped the proposed four tracking of the North London Line between Caledonian Road and Camden to a two track affair.

The grounds for this was the poor condition of a number of bridges along the route that would have required renewing.

By not four tracking throughout the project saves £40 million.

However, the removal of two platform faces at Camden will prevent the delivery of an 8 train-per-hour service throughout the day.

Which may disappoint the cash strapped ODA who are reported to have put £100m into the scheme to help move people to and from the Olympic site.

Poor BoJo. What looked like a £40m saving may soon turn into a very large bill from the ODA.