Clause 13 - Traffic regulation orders: enforcement
London Olympics Bill
4:30 pm
Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)
I think that we all acknowledge that, during the operational phase of the games, it will be essential to keep the Olympic route network free for transport. Those were among the conditions that we gave to the IOC in our candidate file. In order to achieve that, the ODA will need to regulate carefully the use of the Olympic route network to ensure that traffic can flow freely, and will rely in part on ensuring that people will be deterred from obstructing or parking on the ORN. The problem is how to deter people. It will therefore be necessary to ensure that suitable deterrents and fines can be imposed when the regulations are infringed.
In considering the level of fine that should be imposed, we took into account the experience of the previous host cities Atlanta, Sydney and Athens. During the Athens games of 2004, fines for parking on critical Olympic routes were set at such a level that it was often cheaper for motorists to pay the fine than to pay for a legitimate parking space. Obviously, we want to avoid that in 2012, and must therefore ensure the level of fine for the contravention of an ODA order under clause 12(1) will be a genuine deterrent to the obstruction of the ORN. Setting the fine at level 5 is the most appropriate way of achieving that. That amount is the maximum fine, and magistrates can use their discretion according to the circumstances of the case, including those of little old women, to decide what level of fine is appropriate. I do not know of many little old women who were fined in Atlanta or Sydney.