GREENWICH AND LOCOG

[sywell]

In an article in Horse International Pippa Cookson says LOCOG dismissed the idea of an Equestrian Legacy for the UK as GB could not sustain a National Horse Park, I find this a staggering claim by LOCOG as I cannot remember how many times meetings have been held over a replacement at Stoneleigh of the old BHS Site for a National Center. How come other sports with a much smaller following will end up with National Centers so why not Equestrian. LOCOG must have been supporting the NHS Healthy Walking Campaign as there will only be access by cycle,walking or public transport no car parking. Burghley has 140 acres.The London rush hour on the Monday of the cross country will be very interesting. To spend £42 million on the Equestrian games and end up with two of the finest cross country courese in the world sitting idle must make our international competitors laughing. When you think Burghley has 100000 spectators and the limit at Greenwich is 75000 on crosscountry day. The Planning Application for this World Heritage Site may be more difficult than first thought and I wonder how many residents of Greenwich have seen the massive lorries used by the Internation Competitors

 

[Wishful]

Burghley and Burghley would have to be dumbed down quite significantly to be suitable for the "4*" course at the Olympics... Or eventing would be out of the Olympics for a completely different reason.

Greenwich has plenty of large lorries passing through - it's on the main A2 into London - main access from the South East! It's not some idyllic little village in an oasis of green - the o2 and several football clubs are in the area mean the area is used to traffic

Having lived in London for a couple of years, I would never choose to drive into London - the public transport network is excellent, including evenings and weekends, and copes acceptably with the rush hour. Even if I've got to drive, I tend to drive to the edge of London and get a train or the tube in. It's the only place I felt happy not having a car as I could get pretty well everywhere I wanted to with less hassle than driving. The only times I would have wanted a car were for supermarket shopping (as it's easier to stock up on heavy stuff like drinks) and at the other ends of journeys out of London as the public transport at the other end was non-existent.