London workers are set to be offered a number of incentives aimed at reducing the impact of the Olympics on day-to-day life.
Employees of London businesses will be able to avail themselves of discounts on London attractions during the 2012 Olympics, in an effort to help combat congestion during peak hours.
‘After work deals’ will be offered to encourage people working in Games transport ‘hotspot’ areas to travel home after peak hours.
Ben Plowden, director of surface planning at Transport for London (TfL), says, ‘We know that certain times and in certain locations the public transport network will be much busier than usual. That’s why we are teaming up with a range of London’s top attractions to ensure that people able to travel home outside peak hours on the busiest days are spoilt for choice when deciding how to spend their evening.’
Organisations including The Sanctuary Spa, Madame Tussauds London and West End theatres will be offering deals to employees which are able to prove that they work in a ‘hotspot’ area, by showing a business card or proof of employer address.
Chief executive of the Society of London Theatre, Julian Bird, comments, ‘Many employees in transport hotspot locations will be looking to re-time their commute. To help, we will be providing them with reduced priced tickets.’
Companies offering deals showcased offers at a breakfast event organised by TfL and London 2012, organised for the capital’s business community to discuss what they are doing to get ‘Games-ready.’
The news is expected to be welcomed by many London firms which are worried about employees being able to get to and from work smoothly, amongst other business concerns.
In a recent poll by sister publication SmallBusiness.co.uk, 61 per cent of businesses reported that the Olympics would not help trading, with a further 22 per cent expecting the event to have an adverse effect on business. Only 17 per cent thought that the Olympics would help.
Plowden remarks that TfL ‘will continue to work with London’s businesses to ensure they have all the information they need to get ahead of the Games’.
