Coca-Cola is accused of 'breaking spirit of Games' by bussing in VIPs

The soft drinks giant has booked 300 rooms at the five-star Langham Hotel, off Regent Street, as its Games base.

Residents' parking will be suspended around the hotel to make way for coaches taking employees and their guests to Stratford. But today they were accused of breaking the Games pledge to rely on public transport.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond condemned the "annoying" sponsor privileges - singling out Coca-Cola, a Games sponsor for 83 years - and warning of the risk that London will "grind to a halt".

He said: "When the Olympics bid was accepted part of the deal was that there would be dedicated Olympic lanes for competitors and, unfortunately, the sponsors, so it will be Coca-Cola executives. That will be annoying, hopefully the rest won't grind to a halt."

Coca-Cola staff and guests will catch the bus to the Olympic Park even though the hotel is just a few minutes walk from Oxford Circus Tube station and a 20-minute Central line journey from there to Stratford - significantly quicker than the road trip.

Their VIP treatment is being organised by Games organiser Locog which is accused of " hypocrisy" as it has promoted a car-free Games for spectators. Games chiefs are also urging commuters to avoid making non-essential journeys into London next summer to free up capacity on the roads.

Prime Minister David Cameron also raised the stakes when he urged his officials and ministers to take the train even if they are entitled to use the priority lanes. Mayor Boris Johnson has said he will go to the Games mostly using public transport.

Tony Travers, a transport expert at the London School of Economics, said: "It is hypocrisy for the Games organisers to issue an anti-car message which does not apply to the sponsors.

"Coca-Cola will benefit from special measures during a Games where traffic will be an issue like no other and the rest of us are being asked to make sacrifices. It is a blatant affront to the Olympic spirit."

Suspension of parking bays is one of the "hidden" measures to prioritise VIPs because it does not appear in the official plans for the Olympic network.

Coca-Cola coach charters are expected to drive north to Euston Road where they will join the Olympic Route Network which priorities Games vehicles. Lord Coe has insisted that these are "going to work" lanes used by official, athletes and media. However 25,000 sponsors are entitled to use the priority network and the vast majority are attending as spectators.

A Coca Cola spokeswoman said: "As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games we will, along with other sponsors, be given access to the Olympic Road Network. The exact details are yet to be confirmed by the London Organising Committee.

"However, many of our guests who will travel via the ORN will be our consumers, who have won VIP experiences through promotions. In addition, most of the vehicles we use will be buses, so as to use the ORN as efficiently as possible."