London Olympics hit halfway milestone - PHOTO

Olympic chiefs have issued the latest photos of work on site as the Games reached the half way point between winning the bid and London 2012 getting underway.

Olympic Delivery Authority leaders said work completed so far includes:

• cleaning and clearing of the majority of the contaminated 2.5km²Olympic Park site;
• starting construction early on the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre and work getting underway on the Olympic Village and infrastructure such as energy networks, roads and bridges;
• removing pylons from the skyline with power now running through two new tunnels dug beneath the site;
• completing construction on the first London 2012 venue with Weymouth and Portland sailing facilities finished on time and on budget.

London 2012 – timeline from the bid win to halfway point:

• July 2005 – London awarded the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• July 2005 – First dedicated Olympic Lottery game, “Go For Gold” launched to raise funds for the Games.
• March 2006 – London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill receives royal assent.
• March 2006 – Then Chancellor Gordon Brown announces record public sector investment of £500 million for elite sport.
• April 2006 – Creation of Olympic Delivery Authority, the body with responsibility for the construction of the venues and infrastructure for London 2012.
• April 2006 – Start of the first construction project, the tunneling needed to put the overhead powerlines underground.
• March 2007 – London 2012 budget published.
• April 2007 – Lloyds TSB unveiled as first London 2012 domestic sponsor. To date eleven sponsors have been secured – Adidas, BA, BT, EDF Energy, Lloyds TSB, BP, Nortel, Deloitte, Cadbury, Adecco and BCG – providing well over £450 million.
• June 2007 – London 2012 brand launched.
• July 2007 – ODA take control of the Olympic Park. To date, the vast majority of the site has been cleaned and cleared with 200 buildings demolished and 500,000 cubic metres of soil cleaned of contamination such as petrol, oil, tar and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. More than 90 per cent of demolition materials have been recycled or reused.
• October 2007 – Planning permission secured for the Olympic Park – one of the biggest planning applications in European history.
• March 2008 – Pre-Games Training Camp Guide launched, with over 700 venues and facilities throughout the UK selected as possible Training Camps for 2012.
• May 2008 – Construction begins on Olympic Stadium ahead of schedule.
• June 2008  – Launch of £140 million free swimming initiative to boost sport and fitness, and Legacy Action Plan to ensure a lasting sporting legacy from London 2012.
• June 2008 – Construction begins on Olympic Village on schedule.
• July 2008 – Construction begins on Aquatics Centre ahead of schedule.
• August 2008 – Team GB wins 47 medals at Beijing 2008 Olympics, finishing fourth in the medal table; London becomes next Olympic host city.
• September 2008 – Paralympics Team GB wins 102 medals at Beijing 2008 Paralympics, finishing second in the medal table; London becomes next Paralympics host city.
• November 2008 – Sailing facilities at Weymouth and Portland become first venue to be completed.
• November 2008 – Money raised from dedicated lottery games reaches £375 million, halfway to target of £750 million.
• December 2008 – First signs of the regeneration of the area with the removal of the overhead electricity pylons that dominate the site, £250m project completed on time and to budget.