Blow for Paris bid
The Paris 2012 Olympic bid suffered a blow today with a damning report on the city's transport network.
French government transport chiefs warn in the report of crumbling roads, obsolete security systems and serious health risks from poor air quality in road tunnels.
It comes less than four weeks before the host city for the Games is chosen. Many commentators believe London and Paris are now neck and neck.
In a major boost to the London bid, Princess Anne today promised to lobby her fellow IOC members. The Princess Royal, who is also president of the British Olympic Association, has not before taken so active a role in lobbying.
The French heard this week that the International Olympic Committee found Paris's roads "would comfortably cope" with Games traffic. But now a Direction Dé°¡rtementale de l'é±µipement (DDE) report says:
- The major tunnels linking roads, rail and metro lines are fire risks.
- Air quality in the tunnels poses a major health risk.
- Roads can barely cope with existing traffic.
- Surveillance cameras and traffic control centres are obsolete, with outdated computers frequently crashing and causing chaos. Laurent Baudet, regional head of the DDE, said: "Control systems including video surveillance have to be radically improved so as to improve safety."
The IOC report said Paris has a "well-maintained" road system and, while it praised London's bid, was widely seen as putting France to the fore.
Paris bid chiefs claim that the usual August cut in traffic would mean less congestion during the Games.
But Parisians say air pollution is at its worst in the summer, with many commuters who use the main La D馥nse tunnel complaining of illness.
The French report is a boost for London, which has overcome earlier criticisms about its own transport network. The committee has now said London is "capable of coping".
