Assembly launches Olympics inquiry

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 12th Jul 2005

London's preparations to stage a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 will be kept under close scrutiny by the London Assembly it has been announced today.

Key to the Assembly's scrutiny of the 2012 Games will be ensuring that Londoners and businesses in the capital benefit from the regeneration of parts of the city, improved transport services and enhanced sports facilities.

In the run up to the Games, the Assembly's Economic Development Committee1 intends to provide an arena for Londoners to find out what is to be expected during the coming years and to see how promises to improve London's infrastructure are developing. The Committee will keep an eye on the progress of major Olympic projects to ensure they are finished on time and that a lasting legacy is left for people who live and work in the capital after the athletes have gone home.

Dee Doocey AM, Chair of the Committee said: "The job of this Committee will be to scrutinise how this huge project is proceeding to ensure that the opportunities and benefits are maximised and not squandered. The Games, if managed properly, will leave a real legacy in terms of sport, transport, economic benefits, regeneration and housing. This will benefit not just London but also other parts of the country."