The Unofficial Weymouth & Portland 2012 Olympic Blog

The contract with Skanska construction for construction of Weymouth’s long awaited and hotly disputed £84 million relief road is due to be completed at County Hall on Wednesday 13th June.

Providing protestors don’t take the entire hall hostage to prevent the signing work should be due to commence early next year.

The project has enjoyed swift progress since the government announced that there would not a a public enquiry into the relief road.

David Blackburn of Skanska commented “We are confident in our abilities to deal with and construct a road that will be a real asset to the local community and beyond.”

At first what I thought was actually a monkey with the words london and 2012 stamped on it has actually been officially unveiled yesterday as the new 2012 Olympic logo. I know these things are almost always rubbish but the previous one although not great certainly got the message across! This is the London Olympics in 2012.

The super new logo is tasked with being  modern, dynamic and flexible,  idenfifying the character and identity that the game symbolises. Wording from the official site states the new logo will use the Olympic spirit to inspire everyone and reach out to young people. It is an invitation to take part and be involved… sorry but I couldn’t help but laugh to myself when I read that, incredible things logos are these days.

Anyway that is that, the perfectly good old logo has been replaced with a picture of a monkey that cost £400k, at least it was delivered in time for the games!

For the first time in six years Weymouth beach WON’T be recommended in a national beach guide due to the main Weymouth beach only receiving a ‘basic pass’ with coastal pollution officer Thomas Bell stating that the reduction in water quality could be down to overcrowding or weather, no mention of being right next to a marina and quay then.

The good news is that all other bathing waters in our area passed with flying colours, equivilant to water quality 20 times better than a basic pass, so that’s a thumbs up for Greenhill, Portland, Lulworth etc.… but interestingly not Overcombe.

Weymouth Council’s Leisure, Tourism and Community officer Ian James commented: “It was just a miss and we are really depressed because it’s a freak occurrence.”

The Good Beach Guide is online at www.goodbeachguide.co.uk

The campaigners have come out shouting after the governments decision not to hold a public enquiry over the long disputed £77 million relief road.

The air is being heated by CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) condemning the decision as controversial and highly damaging, adding that ‘not calling for a public enquiry could threaten our finest landscapes and rarest habitats throughout England’.

They said not calling it in for a public inquiry ‘could threaten our finest landscapes and rarest habitats throughout England’ adding that the road “would generate a significant amount of carbon dioxide in its first year alone”, but surely not as much as the jam of cars with their engines running in a near stationary position on Dorchester road… every day!

They lost the battle but are determined not to lose the war… the relief road campaigners that is!

Local MP Jim Knight warned of the plan following the revelation that the government could call a public enquiry over the long and disputed relief road which would give the campaigners the chance to use “every trick in the book” to upturn the decision. He also stated that if Natural England were push for a public enquiry then the Government was almost certainly have to comply. The result of a public enquiry would mean legal teams, expense and one luxury we don’t have if we wish to get this road built… time!

The £77 Million Weymouth relief road project got the green light today as councillors voted in favour of approval. Work on the new road is now due to begin next year however campaigners have vowed to keep fighting the decision.
Our earlier post:

Today is the day the final decision regarding the relief road will be made.

The hotly contested route proposal and bitter row will either get the go ahead or go back to the drawing board; either way time is fast running out for construction to start if it is to be in place before the influx caused by the 2012 Sailing events and preceding international Sailing competitions leading up to the Olympics.

The proposed route has drawn protestors out at every stage of planning and today is no exception, board hoarders - obviously with nothing better to do are planning to line the pavements along Dorchester road. Ironically one of their main objections is the damage to the environment, hopefully whilst their are lining Dorchester road today they will take note how much pollution could be saved every day but not having cars sat there ticking over in the predictable traffic jam.

UPDATE:

County Councillors have come to a decision on the relief road… And the light is green!
The £77 million bypass project has finally been given the go ahead, the road starting at Manor roundabout and finishing at the ridgeway, bypassing the traffic hotspot along Dorchester Road and no doubt increasing their property values overnight.

Work on the road is now due to start early 2008. Protestors, vowed not to be beaten by this decision have vowed to push for a public enquiry from the government. Principal planning officer Chris Stokes commented that all possible alternatives for the much needed corridor had been explored.

Members of the council planning committee all voted in favour of the road proposal, Councillor Ron Nash commented on the quantity of objection received on one or two pro forma letters, most of whom lived no-where near the town and the problem.

The plan will now move to the council cabinet on April 18^th and following approval compulsory land purchase orders will be issued and contractors appointed to construct the road.

New information about the ideas for a light railway following the rodwell trail route have been released by engineer Andy Gaunt having received support from the local community.

His plan was for Dorchester west railway station to be sold and create a Docklands light railway style link between Dorchester west and Weymouth quay however the chance of this vision being realized is now very slim due to the relief road being approved and therefore fund being diverted despite Andy’s estimate that it would cost less than the 77 million relief road. Councillor Les Ames also recently commented, commending Mr Gaunt for his well prepared proposal but despite himself being a railway enthusiast suggested there would be chaos with trains running along the roads as there was in the past and that the priority right now was to get the relief road built.

Plans for new world class sailing facilities on Portland have been submitted, leaving Weymouth & Portland on track to become one of the first Olympic venues to be ready for the 2012 Olympics.

A new permanent slipway, additional boat parking in the form of a 560 berth marina, lifting and moorings are planned to deliver improved facilities for the games and beyond.
Seb Coe, left comment stating that these extra facilities would transform Weymouth & Portland from a top class venue to a world-class venue for sailing events with obvious benefits for the local economy long after the games have finished.

The state of finances for the 2012 Olympic Games was placed under increasing scrutiny as organisers were placed under intensive pressure.

The final agreed budget has still to be decided more than 18 months after winning the games, and as reported locally and nationally the estimates are spiralling out of control.

The National Audit Office has also stated that substantial further public funding will be needed to bolt on top of original estimates agreed in 2003.

Minister Tessa Jowell has declared the cost of the Olympic Park in London has shot up from £900 million to £3.3 billion. The Culture Committee warned the 60 per cent contingency demanded by the Treasury in case of construction overruns could amount to ‘an almost open cheque’.

The South West Regional assembly have promised an increase of £18 million to Weymouth’s transport budget to help provide intelligent transport solutions in time for the 2012 games.

These ‘intelligent transport systems’ include park-and-ride schemes, modernised buses, improved road junctions, computerised timetables (as you may have seen in Bournemouth).

The recommendation now lies with the Department for Transport who will have the final say on whether the funding is to be granted or not.

MP Jim Knight commented “I’m pleased with this decision. It’s very important for the area to make the most out of the Olympics and, indeed, the regional assembly.

Some people have said to me the relief road alone will not cure all the town’s transport problems.

That’s why money for smaller schemes like this is so important - they complement each other.”