Monday, March 24, 2014

Freight Group Demands Logistics Details for 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games

Prevarication May Cost Dearly as Arrangements Lag behind those of Olympics
Shipping News Feature

UK – The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has delivered a rocket to the organisers of the forthcoming 2014 Commonwealth Games reiterating its concerns over a lack of information to help the freight industry prepare for the event and requesting for published detailed information regarding the necessary logistics within the next fifty days.

With the Games due to start on 23 July, preparations for freight deliveries are far behind those for which were made ahead of the London Olympics in 2012 and the FTA has called for full details of plans for its members ahead of the event to be delivered before the Association’s Conference due to be held on 13 May, when delegates will expect answers.

While the FTA will be providing information to its members on arrangements for the Games, and will be holding a conference in May with the Games organisers, Transport Scotland and Police Scotland, the Association says preparations will now have to be done in a rush once the information is received, which will hamper efforts by logistics businesses to avoid the inevitable disruption that the Games will cause, attracting as it does in excess of 6,500 athletes with their support teams and essential equipment.

The FTA has said that this lack of readiness could have major consequences for freight and logistics operators, who are in urgent need of information in order to plan for the event and the changes to deliveries and servicing patterns that this will bring with Chris MacRae, FTA’s Head of Policy for Scotland, saying:

“The freight and logistics industry will play a huge part in helping to deliver essential food, drink and supplies not only to the Games venues themselves but also to the residents and businesses of the city and in order to do so, it is vital to prepare well ahead. The sooner FTA can get this information the sooner we can help our logistics members plan around the Games and the sooner they can help their customers, the businesses and citizens of Glasgow, to plan around the Games to make then a success.

“At the equivalent stage ahead of the Olympics in 2012, the Games Route Network (GRN) was known in detail and the Freight Working Group had met several times. For Glasgow the GRN is still only a map without any published detail on actual restrictions, times or postcodes released and the Freight Working Group only met for the first time on the 11th March. We also still have no information on the venue security accreditation procedures.

FTA’s conference ‘Managing deliveries and servicing during the Commonwealth Games 2014’ takes place on Tuesday 13 May at the Doubletree Dunblane Hydro, Stirling. The event is sponsored by ATS Euromaster and Volvo.