'It took just 72 hours after the Olympics began for it to become clear that a calamitous error had been made and that London had turned into a ghost city.

The truth is that the much-trumpeted economic boost from the Olympics seems to be a mirage. How different the reality is from Tony Blair’s bombastic declaration in 2005 that this would be ‘a once-in-an-era opportunity for British tourism’.

In panic, Mr Johnson ordered the traffic warnings to be turned off and most of the Zil lanes to be opened to all traffic. But the damage had already been done. Boris and his Transport for London colleagues, though, are not solely responsible for this sabotage of Britain’s economic engine room. Despite the worst economic crisis for generations, cosseted Whitehall civil servants have been allowed to work from home for six weeks so the poor lambs don’t suffer any travel disruption during the Olympics.'

Read more: Olympics Would Earn Billions, We Were Told. Some Hope!