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A great night out, pity that you can't get home
By Anna Davis, Evening Standard 26.07.07
Going nowhere: frustrated concert goers stuck in jams as they try to leave
Queuing: concert-goers waiting at the empty taxi rank at the O2 late last night. Some had been standing there two hours
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The O2 arena was hailed as a critical triumph after passing its biggest test - but thousands of people were left struggling to get home.
The former Millennium Dome hosted more than 23,000 for two concerts and a film premiere last night. Problems started after the events as traffic was jammed trying to leave the car parks, taxis were in short supply and guests attending an after-concert party had to leave early to get the last Tube.
More than 18,000 watched Barbra Streisand in the main arena, 2,300 saw Joss Stone at the smaller Indigo venue while thousands attended the British premiere of The Simpsons Movie. Hundreds were also at the venue to eat, go to the bars or experience the new indoor beach.
Concert-goers who had arrived over a period of hours all tried to leave at the same time at 11pm and transport chaos broke out.
Those in cars were stuck in stationary traffic and many queued for up to an hour just to leave the car park.
John Powell, 56, a former taxi driver, was stuck in a queue for 45 minutes after offering to pick up his friends from the Streisand concert. He said: "The traffic was totally dreadful. I was only trying to get back to a hotel in Greenwich but it took ages.
"They really have to do something about this because people won't put up with it. It isn't worth going to see a show if you get stuck in this afterwards. It has put a bit of a dampener on my evening."
John Hopson, a scaffolder from Chelmsford, said: "It was an absolute nightmare. I spent 25 minutes trying to get out of the car park. We left as soon as Barbra finished her last song but we didn't miss any of the traffic. My wife is seeing Take That here in December and is already dreading getting home afterwards."
Getting home by taxi was even worse. Around 200 people were queueing at an empty rank until after midnight. Stella Vasey, 43, said: "I travelled from the Midlands to see Babs. The concert was fantastic but I waited nearly two hours for a taxi.
"There were just no taxis arriving. You would think they would be arriving one after the other. The transport has definitely not coped. I can't take my mum on the Tube as she is 70 years old and can't walk downstairs."
TV presenter Phillip Schofield was left searching for his taxi among queues of traffic after watching Streisand. He said: "I arrived two hours early which was fine, but even then we didn't have time to get food as the queues were too long."
While some opted for travelling by boat back to Waterloo, the majority of people took the Tube. Many had to leave The Simpsons party early after an announcement reminded guests the last train was due to leave at 12.16.
Nicole Emmerson, 35, from Hampstead, said: "I have been here every week virtually since it opened and I always opt for the Tube."
Although there were no problems getting the Tube, the fact that the O2 remains open long after the last service is likely to increase calls for it to open later. London Underground said there were no plans for such a move. An LU spokeswoman said: "We have had no reports of issues with people leaving the venue last night.
"If there are problems with people all leaving together at the same time or as far the car park is concerned, that is a matter for the arena."
David Campbell, president of AEG which owns the venue, said: "Last night the O2 was delighted to be holding three major events. The O2 was built to provide entertainment on a large scale and we certainly achieved that."
Reader views (2)
A friend and I went to see the Streisand concert on Sunday. I don't think there were so many other events that night, but the journey home was still a nightmare. We had a car booked to pick us up and had priority pickup at the VIP entrance due to my friend's disability. In spite of arriving in Greenwich an hour early, our driver could not even make it into the area for our pick up. When he picked us up, half an hour late, we had to sit in traffic trying to get out of the exit roads whilst competing with those leaving the car parks. Cars were being pushed onto islands as they had overheated in the queue. Something will need to be done about access. I could have managed by tube, but the disabled and elderly don't necessarily have that option. Certainly it isn't an experience which we would want on a regular basis as it was a very trying ending to a fabulous night out.
- Fiona, Penge, London
My mum and I waited for a taxi for two hours after seeing Barbra Streisand. A couple in front of us had been waiting longer and a taxi wouldn't take them to where they needed to go and drove off not taking anyone else. The crowds were huge for the underground going right out of the entrance door of the Tube Station, and while waiting for a taxi a woman collapsed and people in front her take the next taxi to the hospital.
- Linzi, Essex, Romford
