The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has confirmed that it will be operating security checks on vehicles entering the public car parks at the new Westfield shopping centre at nearby Stratford in its first year of operation.
As the centre is near the Olympic Park, the vehicle screening areas will run from now until the end of the London 2012 Games in September 2012. <br><br>The Westfield shopping centre is due to open on 13 September 2011 and will be one of the best connected shopping centres in the country. .<br><br>LOCOG will be working with its security provider G4S to operate vehicle screening areas, providing security checks on vehicles.<br><br>The screening areas will be similar to others which operate at shopping centres in secure areas and will be based at Warton Road, Penny Brookes Street and the Lea Interchange off the A12. Vehicles chosen to be searched will be directed out of the traffic flow to be checked before continuing their journey into Westfield car parks.<br><br>Over the last 10 months, London 2012 has undertaken a local consultation and communications programme to ensure the plans have as little impact as possible on the daily lives of local residents. <br><br>LOCOG CEO Paul Deighton said: ‘Delivering a safe and secure Games is a key priority for everyone involved in London 2012. With Westfield so close to the Olympic Park and with vehicle access to it directly accessed from the Park, it is an obvious and important part of our security plans.<br><br>’We will make the checks as quick and unobtrusive as possible – we are confident that shoppers will recognise the need for us to be vigilant and carry out these checks. We are also committed to working with the local community to ensure that vehicle screenings have a minimal impact on their daily lives.’
