London Olympic travel plan: Be patient, drink beer

Olympic organizers have some travel advice for the millions of people who work and live in London: Be patient. Have a beer. Telecommute.            Rejecting suggestions of possible transport chaos during the July 27-Aug. 12 games, they unveiled a 8.8 million-pound ($13.3 million) campaign Monday to persuade city residents to change their travel patterns to ease the strain on public transport.             

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union demands for more money came just moments before London transport officials unveiled posters, signs and banners to make travelers aware of how to handle transport issues during the games. Johnson directed his remarks at what he called "Olympo-skeptics."         

London transport officials have been at pains in recent weeks to downplay concerns about whether the city's aging transportation system can handle the extra traffic from tourists, spectators and others expected to use the network.             

Officials point to a 6.5 billion-pound ($10.2 billion) investment in the transport system. They say train journeys are faster and note that many more trains will run and that some will even have air conditioning during the games.             

If office workers do things as simple as stopping and have a beer on their way home, it will spread out the rush-hour demands, they assert. No recommendations alcoholic or otherwise were made for the morning commute.       

Businesses have been asked to consider whether London workers could telecommute or have more flexible working hours.         

AP