2012 Olympics chiefs to turn off red traffic lights

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Games bosses said they would switch off about 1,000 sets of traffic lights in the capital and build temporary pedestrian bridges over busy roads in a bid to keep the average speed for cars transporting athletes and officials at about 45mph.

Plans were outlined at the annual congress in Vancouver of the International Olympic Committee which is focusing on how the capital will cope with the extra Games traffic.

The IOC said it had the backing of Boris Johnson to turn off the lights, which could be decommissioned permanently as a legacy of the Games.

The IOC has said dedicated lanes used in previous host cities would be kept to a minimum as they would not be suited to the capital's narrow streets.

Temporary pedestrian bridges made of scaffolding have already been used during major events in the capital. They are expected to be used near venues such as Greenwich Park.

Denis Oswald, the IOC's chief inspector for the London games, gave a glowing report to the annual meeting.

Mr Oswald said: "The local transportation team has developed excellent ideas that are symbolic of the creativity of the London team the number of red lights has increased in the last 10 years from 4,000 to 5,000 so maybe the Olympics will be a kind of legacy."

Paul Deighton, chief of Games organisers Locog, insisted that the proposals had not been agreed and the speed target was aspirational.

He said: "Denis was illustrating the point that if you keep traffic moving then the distance between the venues is not that far."