Greenwich Park has been selected to host the Olympic Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events and the Paralympic Dressage competition

In the summer of 2012 the UK will come alive with the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Greenwich Park has been selected to host the Olympic Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events and the Paralympic Dressage competition. It’s an amazing opportunity for local people to get involved, with many benefits for the community.

Whats happening in Greenwich Park?

Equestrian
Equestrian consists of Dressage, Eventing, Jumping and Paralympic Dressage.

Dressage takes place over four days in a temporary Arena and involves 50 competitors in team and individual events.

Eventing takes place over four days and consists of Dressage, Jumping and Cross Country. Eventing includes team and individual events for 75 competitors. The Cross Country section lasts for a single day. This is the only element of Equestrian competition held outside the Arena.

Jumping takes place in the Arena over four days. The jumps are designed to showcase the culture and history of the host country. There are team and individual events for 75 competitors.

Paralympic Dressage takes place over five days in the Arena. There are team and individual events involving 75 riders.

Modern Pentathlon
In Modern Pentathlon athletes compete in five disciplines – Fencing, Swimming, Riding and a combined Run/Shoot event – in a single day. Men compete on one day, women on a second. The Riding section involves completing a Jumping course in the temporary Arena. The Run/Shoot event also takes place in the Arena with the running course extending a short way into the Park near the Arena.

Why Greenwich Park?
The Park was chosen for a number of key reasons:

The Park’s closeness to the Olympic Village ensures the Equestrian events are placed at the heart of the Games. Travel time for athletes will be kept to a minimum, enabling them to feel part of the action.
It’s cost effective. Modern Pentathlon takes place over one day in which the athletes need to access the fencing and swimming facilities in the Olympic Park and riding, shooting and running facilities close by. Holding Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon events in the same location in Greenwich Park removes the need to build duplicate facilities. This reduces costs and makes it easier for the athletes competing.
Using a popular London location allows spectators to travel to the venue by public transport and ensures they enjoy the buzz of the city during the Games.
New urban audiences have a chance to see elite-level Equestrian events at first hand.
This iconic location showcases Greenwich and London to audiences worldwide.

Greenwich Park at Games time

Spectators
Access to Greenwich Park for spectators at Games time will be via the National Maritime Museum side of Romney Road and Blackheath Gates.

We are planning a managed crossing of Romney Road and, for one day only (Cross Country day, provisionally 31 July 2012), a managed crossing of the A2 Shooters Hill Road.

Transport
Our transport plans will maximise the use of rail, bus and river links and walking and cycling routes. As part of our venue ticketing strategy, spectators will be encouraged to travel via public transport. Travel tickets will be included with event tickets.

Coaches delivering competitors and officials will drop off in designated areas within the venue. Our revised transport plans, based on residents' comments, remove Games traffic from Greenwich town centre.

The Olympic Route Network in Greenwich
The Olympic Route Network will be used to ensure the people who play a part in making the Games happen, such as athletes and officials, get to their events quickly, safely and reliably. It only operates during the Games. Furthermore, being a ‘designated’ road does not mean that the road would automatically be restricted.

Local access
Local residents and businesses near Greenwich Park will have priority parking provision and access to their homes and properties throughout the Games period.

See Detailed venue proposals for more information about Park closures.

Our vision is that London 2012 should be ‘everyone’s Games’. This is why your views are important to us and we welcome your thoughts.

During October, we will be consulting widely with the communities around Greenwich Park. Before we finalise our plans, we would like your feedback, so please complete our online form.

You can also print out and post the form to a Freepost address. The deadline for your feedback is 31 October 2009.

We will use your views as part of the formal consultation process and to give feedback to the team of project designers.

The formal town planning consultation process ends on 31 October. In November we will submit our town planning application.

We have set up a consultation hotline that you can call if you have any questions or would like further information on matters relating to the plans. The number is 0800 198 2012.