Commuters heading for Olympic stadia should not drive in the fast lanes. Photo: ODA

London Assembly members expressed outrage this week over the proposal to fine drivers who use the Olympic car lane £5, 000.

The fine would be almost 42 times bigger than the standard TfL fine for driving in a bus lane, which currently stands at £120. The fines would be issued by the Olympic Delivery Authority, which will run the special Olmpic traffic lanes.

Richard Tracey, the Conservative LAM from Merton said the fine was ‘excessive.’

Speaking at city hall, Mayor Boris Johnson said, “This is the maximum fine permissible by law. We expect penalty charge notices to be enforced by TfL.”

“I understand how electric this issue can be but I think we have to recognise that we have to move people expeditiously. We can minimise disruption but we can’t junk it completely.”

Debate over the fine forms part of wider discussions taking place surrounding the general framework for the Olympic route network, which will need to transport hundreds of thousands of athletes around the capital.

Current plans to satisfy this demand revolve around the creation of special lanes reserved for athletes traveling to and from Stratford from various sites across London, as well as a high-speed ‘Javelin’ train service, running from St.Pancras to Stratford in just seven minutes.