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Comment: the 2012 legacy
Evening Standard25 Apr 2008
Enthusiasm for the 2012 Olympics is limited outside London, according to official evidence we report today. Predictions for ticket sales suggest that half the spectators will come from London and the South East, with a third from abroad and few from other UK regions. Certainly the anger over the costs of the Games among last night's Question Time audience suggested that this issue is becoming a divisive one.
It is possible that the Mayor has undermined support outside London for the Games with his admission that he backed the 2012 effort to "ensnare" the Government into investing in east London's infrastructure and housing. This is the area that has the potential to expand housing on the scale that London needs if it is to remain the engine of Britain's economy. Despite east London's proximity to powerhouses of wealth creation in the City, the West End and Canary Wharf, this part of the capital has suffered from contaminated land in former industrial zones and has low skill levels. It includes some of Britain's most deprived areas.
This newspaper supported the bid on the basis that the Olympics was a festival of sport that would also catalyse investment in east London. Since then, however, the bill for the Games has escalated and concerns have emerged that their legacy is not being properly thought through. Companies considering investment in east London must be supported with commitments to infrastructure improvements. Shaping the Olympic legacy will be among the top tasks for whichever candidate becomes Mayor next week.
