MEP visits Olympic sites across the East of England

Vicky Ford, MEP for the East of England, has been visiting Olympic venues in the region to see the facilities and discuss the legacy that the Olympics will leave in the East of England following next year's games. Mrs Ford has spent time at both the Lee Valley white water site in Hertfordshire, where the canoeing events will take place, and the mountain biking site in Hadleigh, Essex.

Mrs Ford is planning to host a European Parliament briefing in Brussels early next year to showcase the two venues and remind people that the legacy of the games will be felt across the Eastern region beyond the actual Olympics.

Mrs Ford commented: "The legacy of the Olympics will be felt far beyond London, and far beyond 2012. The Olympics have already had a tremendous impact on the East of England, and I was delighted to hear recently that the total value of contracts for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games won by businesses in the East of England now tops £1billion, with over 400 contracts awarded to businesses for services varying from providing concrete for the construction of the aquatics centre to providing coaches for transporting athletes.

"We are fortunate to be hosting two such exciting activities in the East. The canoeing site is fantastic and is already being enjoyed by thousands of people. The management team had anticipated 20,000 visitors over the summer but in fact the total was over 130,000. The facility really does feel like it will be a long lasting, fun and, most importantly, profitable legacy for the region. The mountain biking course is truly terrifying to the amateur eye, and those who have been lucky enough to have got tickets to events are in for a great thrill. Its location is iconic with views of the Thames Estuary and Hadleigh Castle. When I visited, we discussed the growing popularity of cycling events and their legacy plans to create easier courses for upcoming riders in the future."

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