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@plurien
A Legacy Company image showing the 2012 consented plan for the Velopark.
Thinking about access to the velodrome during transformation phases:-
To the R of the picture, S of the Velodrome there will be a complete new residential quarter, which is yet to be built.
To the E of the site (top R) the Olympic Lifeline road has to be removed in order to provide clear access for riders to the 'eastern lands' that were bartered inbetween the 2011 and 2012 planning revisions. This road gives access to Westfield and has significant utilities underneath.
N and W of the velodrome will see significant hard landscaping changes to put in the road circuit. (the underpass at the velodrome's NW corner was included in 2007 and 2009 permissions associated with the velodrome because planning for the circuit was inherent in all plans. You may have noted storage containers at circuit-level when you were there in Games mode).
A bridge has to be brought in to match the construction bridge already in place (which was held in place specifically and only for the road circuit, instead of being removed as planned). We already know where the bridge will be coming from, but this will take time and requires space to install...
Landscaping and repurposing the surrounding parklands will take significant time.
BMX has to be 'flattened' from present Supercross layout
All tribunes and stands removed
Games-time utility runs removed or repurposed
Roads, paths and car-parking installed
Landforms preprared and planted, with off-road trails built
and so on...
Just one important consideration: Emergency Services access to the velodrome will be highly limited during the time of roads and residential construction. It would not be possible to open if fire service or ambulances can't get in.
Whilst not going along with the official line on everything, it's informative to read this release from the Legacy Corp
http://www.londonlegacy.co.uk/legacy-company-plans-approved-for-%E2%80%98world-class%E2%80%99-velopark/
and look at this hi-res images showing wider views than the above pic.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42536806/Transformation/Cam_25_Final.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42536806/Transformation/Cam_31_Final.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42536806/Transformation/Cam_28_Final.jpg
There is a lot to be done all around that lovely velodrome.
While you're waiting, is there anything you think would help the thing be choc-full with sessions from day 1? It won't hurt us to ask!
Operational considerations are a concern:
Our worry was always the limited capacity of a velodrome, which is one reason why Eastway Users were not prepared to go along with the ready-made plan to get one in 'pre-build' as part of the Games bid. From Manchester and Newport, we learned they manage around 18 rider episodes per hour at max capacity so the operator will be tempted to balance demand with price, or to offer diluted sessions where riders have to wait long periods between on-track activity. Whatever your level there will be a lot of demand and it won't only be from Joe Public, since hte national development programme riders, national / international events and 'private' sessions will take chunks of every day.
From what we've learned, the Park Authority will seek to operate the Velopark's amenities in ways we haven't seen before. Knowledge of this is limited because they won't meet with the Users' Group yet. Sorry I can't shed any more light, but you can be sure the questions have been asked.
[BTW my name is Michael Humphreys]