London Olympics Bill

That is a good point, well made. But we want Hackney to do even more. We also do not want any more road routes sprung on us at a late stage, for instance over the environmentally important marshes. We do, however, want public transport to be improved as quickly as possible. Reopening of the Hall farm curve in Waltham Forest would provide a north-south rail link through the borough and, crucially, to Stratford, the main station for the Olympics. That project should move to the top of the agenda. The Royal National Institute for the Blind makes some interesting points. It says that the Olympic delivery authority should be"““subject to the same safeguard in terms of promoting disabled access as local authorities when acting as planning authorities.””" Disabled people want to enjoy the spectacle of the Olympics, as well as the Paralympics, and they should be able to do so. The RNIB also says that all buses in London should be subject to a requirement for ““visual and audible announcements”” for deaf and blind people, including"““the many tourists visiting London for the Olympics””." There is no commitment to that so far, and I think that there should be. As for the costs, a House of Commons Library paper gives a lot of ballpark figures—estimates—but one of them worried me. I am not convinced that £23.125 million for security will be sufficient, especially in view of the threats that we have faced and the bitter experience that we have had. The Government must think again about that estimate. As I said, Waltham Forest is one of the four Olympic park boroughs, but it is not in a position to be the active contributor that it could be, because for the past few years it has been at the bottom in terms of the allocation of Government grants to London authorities. It has pared down its operation and become more efficient, but it now needs to be able to provide and facilitate more. It needs more resources to do that, and it cannot divert already stretched resources. I urge the Government to take that special factor into account in the next series of local authority funding settlements. Waltham Forest must be given more if it is to be a partner in the Olympic process. Young people need to enjoy the inspirational and health benefits of high-quality physical activity. A new community sports facility, the SCORE project, is due to open shortly in Leyton. It will prove valuable during the Olympics, but schools have a vital role as well. Children are a captive audience. The Building Schools for the Future project must be brought forward in Leyton and Wanstead. It is currently at the back of the queue, which is not acceptable. In 15 years it will be too late. Waltham Forest is currently bidding for private finance initiative resources for a new pool and track complex. The borough wants to provide a replacement 25 m pool, track refurbishment and a new sports hall as Olympic training facilities and to reconfigure the surrounding area, including parts of the town hall complex and of Waltham Forest college. I hope that the Minister and his team will consider that bid favourably. For a long time, the Tory-controlled London borough of Redbridge has failed to get its act together on the development of a swimming pool in the Wanstead area. That situation has existed for many years, and the Olympics provides an opportunity to rectify it. Wanstead is near enough to the Olympic action for a swimming pool to be valuable, if it is built. The London borough of Redbridge should revisit those plans and submit them to the ODA and the Government, who should consider them favourably. Finally, Waltham Forest must play a significant role in developing the local legacy benefits, which will also require resources and expertise. The Olympics will cost, but it in my opinion they should be well worth it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event for not only east London, but the whole of the UK, and it is in the national interest that it is nothing other than a success.