London Venues, Transport System Brace For Busiest Day Of Games

Today is expected to be the "busiest day of the Games period" in London, and with Olympic Stadium hosting the start of track & field events, the day "has long been identified as the likely traffic peak" (GUARDIAN, 8/3). The number of total spectators is "expected to double," with Olympic Park anticipating 200,000 fans and workers (London TELEGRAPH, 8/3). The 80,000-seat stadium was "packed to capacity for the first morning" of track & field (INDEPENDENT.co.uk, 8/3). Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said that "the 'threat of meltdown on the traffic system' in London had been defeated," and he urged people to "return to the capital to work, shop and eat" (FT.com, 8/3).

Westfield Stratford City shopping mall next to Olympic Park will be closed to people without Olympic tickets today and tomorrow. While foot traffic at the mall is believed to be "significantly up on average," it is thought that "takings among retailers are significantly down" (GUARDIAN, 8/2).