Speaking at "The Games Briefing" event in London this morning, a gathering of representatives in the construction sector,Higgins said: “While the flagship new sports venues we are building understandably get the most attention, the huge amount of work currently going on to construct new infrastructure and utilities in the Olympic Park is every bit as essential in ensuring we deliver a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games.

 

“We are making strong progress in creating the building blocks for a world-class new urban Park.

 

"We are building 20km of new roads and more than 30 new bridges to connect the Olympic Park during the Games and create new links between communities in legacy.

 

"Work is also underway on a state-of-the-art Energy Centre which, using sustainable technology, will provide power for the Games and support new and existing communities for generations to come.

 

"The wider utilities network we are building, including an electrical substation and sewage infrastructure, completes the ‘wiring’ of the park and will leave a backbone of facilities essential for a lasting legacy.”

 

The infrastructure and utilities work being delivered by the ODA includes:

 

· More than 30 new bridges and 20km of new roads

 

· New water, gas, electrical and telecoms networks

 

· A wind turbine in the north of the Olympic Park to play a key role in delivering renewable energy to the site

 

· A new electrical substation and electrical distribution network to supply electricity to the Olympic Park

 

· An Energy Centre and community energy networks to provide efficient power, heating and cooling systems across the site

 

· A new pumping station and sewer network to collect, convey and discharge foul waste from venues and buildings in the Olympic Park

 

Higgins told the conference that construction work on utilities and infrastructure in the Olympic Park is well underway - the outer structure of the electrical substation is taking shape; piling works have started on the foundations of the Energy Centre; tunnelling work has started on the new sewer networks and on the foundations of the pumping station; and the abutments in place for the first permanent new bridges to be built in the Olympic Park.