A programme of dredging to revitalise the Olympic Park waterways has started.

The dredging will improve water quality and open up the waterways allowing barges to transport construction materials to and from the site. This will contribute towards the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA's) target of bringing 50% of materials (by weight) onto the Park by rail or water, a figure that is already being exceeded by using rail alone.

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There are 8.35km of waterways in and around the Park including the River Lea, which runs through the centre of the Park and joins the River Thames.

A 60-tonne craft carrying out the dredging is expected to remove 20,000 tonnes of silt, gravel and rubble as well as tyres, shopping trolleys, timber and at least one car.

ODA Environment 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."

A wharf is being built on the Waterworks River near the Aquatics Centre and will be used for deliveries to the Park. Work began this week and is due to be completed in June.

(CD/JM)