Olympic waterways to undergo dredging programme

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has launched a new multi-million pound dredging programme.

Olympic Park waterways are being dredged in order to improve water quality and enable freight boats to transport construction materials to the main site.

Commenting on the plans, ODA environmental manager Richard Jackson said: "The Olympic Park is characterised by a series of waterways which act as green corridors running through the heart of the site. Currently, they are polluted, neglected and under-used and have been treated as a dumping ground for everything from shopping trolleys to cars."

The dredging programme will also create a better habitat for plants and wildlife, in addition to reducing the number of lorries on the roads, he added.

Work started last week on a new wharf near the Olympic Aquatic Centre and the project is expected to be completed by the start of June.

A new video blog has been established for those interested in watching progress of the dredging and improvements.