Route for Olympic Torch Relay released

FYI…

ACTION BUS SERVICES

ACTION bus services will continue to operate, however some normal services will be disrupted from 7:45am to 12:30pm. Bus services will be diverted on a number of routes.

ACTION’s bus services will return to normal from 12:30pm. Please view information on ACTION’s website http://www.action.act.gov.au or ACTION’s Call Centre on 13 17 10. ACTION encourages commuters to travel early.

BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY BREAKFAST – near Questacon (6:10am-8:45am) ACTION is unable to provide any public transport service after 7:45am from this location.

BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY CONCERT – COMMONWEALTH PARK – STAGE 88 (10:30am-2:15pm) ACTION is unable to provide any public transport service to Commonwealth Park between 8:00am to 12:30pm.

The ACT Government and the ACT Torch Relay Taskforce apologises for any inconvenience and urges motorists to be patient.

Further information contact Canberra Connect on 132281 or visit http://www.events.act.gov.au

Authorised by Jeremy Lasek, Executive Director, Arts, Communications, Events and Protocol Division, Chief Minister’s Department

I was more impressed by there being “thousands” of people coming up by buses.

May any protesters survive their interesting time, and either get footage on film or a reliable witness for the purposes of later pursuit of legal action.
(The fact that there will be thugs was just a given, as far as I was concerned, and don’t try using “He was a man of asian appearance, average height and build, holding a Chinese flag”).

With at most about 50 people per coach, thats at least 20 coaches per thousand, all arriving early in the morning or the night before, entering a city already in lockdown through its centre, with no idea how to navigate to the event or back to the correct buses afterwards.

Expect continuing trafic chaos all day, but I also a boon for the local caterers.

Great, rent-a-crowd thugs are coming. They should be all stopped on Northbourne Ave by an M1A1 tank, just to make them feel at home.

By the way, even if you’re considering staying at home, don’t worry about there not being enough people to line the routes and start fights…

From South Africa’s biggest online newspaper, IOL:

Tony Goh, the chairman of the Australian Council of Chinese Organisations, said his group was responding to a “spontaneous” demand in arranging to take thousands of pro-Beijing demonstrators to Canberra.

“We are trying to see if we can get more buses or vehicles to carry people down there, but there are not enough in our local area” Goh said.

“We are trying to rally our forces to see if we can get as many there as possible.”

Zhuning Zhang, head of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, said “very many strong men” were also preparing to travel to Canberra from Melbourne, Brisbane and other places to show their support for China and provide resistant force to any anti-Chinese agitators within the crowd

Skidbladnir said :

As to the actual Chinese persons providing ‘flame lighting assistance’, have we had anyone in power bother to ask questions like “Who in the Australian Government authorized their presence and what checks were made as to their background?” and provide us with a name should anything happen and we want answers\heads?

I’m sure Deputy Prime Minister Cate Blanchett will look into that one for us.

Its still going to be dark at the time the fireworks go off.
So its not the “day time”, just “morning”.
But still a very craptacular idea from the Comrade pandering to a Paramount Leader.

As to the actual Chinese persons providing ‘flame lighting assistance’, have we had anyone in power bother to ask questions like “Who in the Australian Government authorized their presence and what checks were made as to their background?” and provide us with a name should anything happen and we want answers\heads?

Fireworks in the day time is one of the most ghey things ever!

No doubt they are carbon neutral as well! 🙂

Silent fireworks? How is that possible? I was under the impression that all fireworks went bang…

Apparently the fireworks at 6:10am are ‘silent fireworks’… at least, that’s what the Chief Minister’s Department told CanberraConnect.

Ditto, thanks Primal. Although they seem to contradict themselves with road closures starting from 8.30am (not too bad), and then saying that Parkes way is closed from 7am.
I assume we’ll still be able to get from Moreshed onto Kings Ave as it’s a left turn on the roundabout.

Primal, thanks for the update. 🙂

Updated info from the Events ACT website…

“Major traffic disruptions will occur along the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay route on Thursday morning 24 April 2008.

Rolling road closures will commence from 8.30am, with delays of approximately 60 to 90 minutes expected as the Relay passes.

Parkes Way from Commonwealth Avenue and Kings Avenue will be closed from approx. 7.00am to 10.45am.

The Canberra Times will publish information on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week that details the approximate times when the traffic disruptions will occur.

Residents and businesses along the route are advised that additional temporary fencing will also be put in place that will restrict vehicle access to their premises as the Relay passes.

People working in Civic and the Parliamentary Triangle are encouraged to arrive at work before 8.15am to avoid delays. Those travelling to the airport are also advised to plan their travel carefully.

ACTION bus services will continue to operate, however normal services will also be severely affected. Contact ACTION on 131710 or visit the ACTION website for more information.

Local broadcast media will provide regular updates in relation to changed traffic arrangements.

The ACT Government and the ACT Torch Relay Taskforce apologises for any inconvenience and urges motorists to be patient.

Download a map with times here.”

6am in Canberra is 4am in china – can’t be for their tv. looks like chaos all round on thursday…

bugger them. I’m going to bring Eggs, and if I get stuck, I’m getting out and using them! This is ridiculous. Can’t they do this crap at 10am til 4pm?

The fireworks at 6AM is wierd.

I thought it must be to make good tv for China, but they are on a similar timezone to us.

And I think they want traffic chaos – it will stop the protestors moving around too easily.

Coming from Fyshwick down Limestone this arvo, the first sign said “road closed 24/04/08”, but then a followup sign said times would vary, expect long delays.

Sleeping in it is, then!

Ted Quinlan just said rolling road closures, depending upon protesters.

They need to release some useful road closure info, pronto. There’s too many major routes blocked off.

Have they welded shut the letter boxes yet? never know what bombs the radical socialist alliance will do to protest against their communist comrades.

I saw sign that said the road closures times would vary. So I’m guessing that they’ll keep the road open for as long as possible before the relay comes. But the traffic will be a nightmare.

I live in Ngunnawal and work inside the Triangle. With Northbourne, Kings and C’wealth Avenues/bridges affected, I will probably take the long way round on the Parkway/Lady Denman/Adelaide Av.

They will look good on Sunrise…

Fireworks at 6am on a cold Canberra morning… I wonder who would bother to drag the kidlets out of bed for that one.

Yeah, cause Canberra, ACT is going to outdo the f’ing inventors of fireworks!

They probably come from China!

hmmm….decisions, decisions.
I live in Braddon and work in Manuka. Would it be best to go via Scrivener Dam or out to Majura Road/Fyshwick? Maybe I’ll just work from home that day.

Cool, there will be fireworks…

I say stay at home, turn on Sky News, and watch the violent protests unfold in front of your eyes.

Then phone the boss and tell them you are too traumatised to go into work and head off on your 4 day long weekend….

God, not only –

1) do i live on northbourne ave
2) but i work on northbourne avenue.

So tempted to just be “sick” that day:)

Is the map above the longer or shorter version.

The Age this morning had a different map where the lake crossing was not actually happening.

My understanding is that the Parl Triangle is almost a no go zone that morning with the Balloon Fiesta and fireworks at 6, then the Torch relay from 7:30.

Both Comm and Kings Ave bridges are out of action – could be a good day to try to work a half day only…

I know that some agencies are going to be operating on skeleton staff that day, as it’s going to be a huge hassle getting into the city…

Go on, hassle your employer for a free day off 😉

neanderthalsis, i dont know man, i think im just going to walk backwards the entire time im there, they wont surprise me then!

Vanilla Bean said :

Well the happy little procession will go right past my building (John Gorton) wheeeeee, if we make it into work at all we can all stand at the windows and holler at them about how we had to get into work at 6.30am. So to clarify – the roads are closing from 6am? I think I’ll bring a sleeping bag in on Wednesday…

VB, I’m uncertain as to the road closure times. If anyone can find documentation to confirm, please post it up.

Rather interesting that the days festivities include the singing of the Chinese national anthem. Will we see a mass turning of backs or some other from of protest during this?

Well the happy little procession will go right past my building (John Gorton) wheeeeee, if we make it into work at all we can all stand at the windows and holler at them about how we had to get into work at 6.30am. So to clarify – the roads are closing from 6am? I think I’ll bring a sleeping bag in on Wednesday…

I need to get from Inner North to Fyshwick for work. If the road closures are all done before 8:15am then it’s going to be one long arse about drive to work that morning. Haha!

Bloody hell. How are we meant to get to work?

don’t be so cosy, lisagrace – starts at 6.10am, roads may close at any time from there on irrespective of when the flame might actually light up the sky in a vicinity anywhere near you!

and that map is entirely confusing – it loops round c’wealth/kings/parkes, but without starting or finishing anywhere obvious – does this means it does a huge loop d’ loop of the triangle?

where can you get china flags to wave – anyone?

What the hell? This rubbish is on a weekday? What were they thinking? I’m going to go and throw eggs! There’s fencing around the worst intersection in central Canberra: Russell/Kings Ave roundabout! argh!

Lots of discussion about this at work, as I’m at work by 8.15am most mornings the road closures don’t bother me.

Some colleagues are having trouble working out how they can get to work, and one is not happy at all as they are suppossed to be moving house on Thursday morning, and now can’t get across Northbourne.

Re the starting point – apparantly it is being rowed across the lake to anzac parade, then following the arrows from there.

Why is the start not actually on the route? lol. Well, where are people planning on meeting etc?

there you go tap! maybe we “wont” see you on the news ..hahaha