The construction of the Olympic Stadium is surging ahead with the start of the work on the concrete supports for the lower tiers of seating and the abutments for one of the main pedestrian access bridges, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced.

A pre-cast concrete batching plant has been set up on the south part of the Olympic Stadium site to cast almost 200 rakers, the concrete structures that will support the seating units for the lower 25,000 permanent seats. The concrete will be supplied from the batching plant on the Olympic Park site which will reduce vehicle movements in the local area.

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The work is now underway on the abutments that support the first of the five pedestrian footbridges over the waterways that surround the Stadium site.

Eight tower cranes, each between 48 and 60 metres high, have also now all been erected in the Stadium 'bowl', ready for the ramping up of the concrete and steel work. These are now the tallest visible landmark across the Olympic Park construction site at the present time.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins, said: "The Olympic Stadium site is now a hive of activity and over the coming months we will see the Stadium structure start to rise from the ground.

"This is a challenging project and we are not complacent about the challenges that lie ahead but we have made a strong start. Real progress is being made every day on the site."

In May this year, construction started on the Stadium site three months earlier than originally planned and was witnessed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown who had an opportunity to meet workers on site.

The piling work to create the permanent foundation for the Olympic Stadium is expected to complete in September.

(JM)