There's a real possibility that many taxi drivers and private hire drivers will earn less
during the Olympics, not more. There's a time bomb waiting to go off and I suspect
most Londoners are not yet aware of it. This time bomb is called Olympic Lanes.
In at least some locations, these Olympic Lanes will at peak times cause chaos,
including chaos for bus passengers and the emergency services.

The Olympic Lanes are designated lanes set aside exclusively for the use of Olympic
athletes and officials. Buses and taxis will not be allowed to travel in Olympic lanes.
So far, so bad. It gets worse. Unlike the position with bus lanes, it will be illegal to
cross an Olympic Lane. Whereas with a bus lane a vehicle may cross the lane to turn
either right or left, that is not permissable with an Olympic lane. Instead the hapless
motorist must proceed, possibly for a mile or two, until the Olympic lane ends and then
make a wide detour without crossing any other Olympic Lane to arrive back where he
wanted to be.

Compounding this formula for chaos is another feature. At certain major road junctions,
Olympic Lanes will be imposed, forbidding other vehicles from entering and exiting.
Two examples.

1) The Green Man Roundabout in Leytonstone. This is a major junction and straddles the
A12 dual carriageway between outer East London and the Blackwall Tunnel. It is a very
busy roundabout. During the Olympics, motorists heading towards the Blackwall Tunnel will
not be allowed to join the A12 from The Green Man. In the morning rush hour this will cause
massive traffic congestion. I suspect the whole area will seize up. Motorists needing to access
the A12 will have to improvise. Most will aim for the Redbridge Roundabout which is already
hugely over-subscribed during the morning peak. Some, aiming for Hackney, will try Lee
Bridge Road via Whipps Cross Road. However Lee Bridge Road is already hopelesly inadequate
during the morning peak. (Thank you TfL for sabotaging Lee Bridge Road and reducing its
capacity enormously) So it is almost certain that Lee Bridge Road and Whipps Cross Road will
come to a standstill. I'd feel sorry for any taxi or private hire driver who has to take someone to
Whipps Cross Hospital beween 7 and 10 0-clock.

2) Hackney Marshes. This A12 junction is adjacent to the Olympic Park and only Olympic athletes
and officials will be allowed to exit from the A12 during the Olympics. Motorists coming to Hackney
via the Blackwall Tunnel will presumably come off the A12 either at Old Ford - already overloaded
during the morning rush hour and soon to be worse: yes TfL are installing traffic lights to reduce
capacity still further - or at The Green Man (see above). Motorists from the other direction will
presumably come off at Old Ford and try their luck. There is no chance at all of Old Ford being able
during the morning peak to handle "refugee" traffic from the Hackney Marshes junction in addition
to the usual traffic volume. I'd feel sorry for any taxi or private hire driver taking someone
to the London Chest Hospital beween 7 and 10 0-clock.

Unless there is a huge reduction in normal traffic, for example everyone taking their holiday during
the Olympics, complete gridlock in Leytonstone and Old Ford is inevitable during the morning peak.

Many taxi drivers are taking an extended holiday during the Olympics because they believe it will
be impossible to move about and earn money. Many minicab drivers intend to boycott the Olympics
because they cannot afford to be stuck in traffic jams.

If there is not the required enormous reduction in road traffic and chaos does result, the likely
"legacy" of the Olympics will be that many Londoners will hate the Olympic Games more intensely
than they ever hated anything else. It is most unlikely that many taxi or private hire drivers will
look back with any affection.