London's bid to host the 2012 Olympics woudn't just bring four weeks of fantastic competition to the capital city. It would have other, longlasting benefits too.

Regenerating East London
The 500 acre Olympic park, which would form the hub of the Olympic Games, would be based in the Lower Lea Valley (LLV), just six and a half minutes by train from Kings Cross. This would house the athletics stadium, aquatics centre, velodrome, hockey pitches, as well as a number of arenas, the athletics village and media centre.

At the moment the LLV is a neglected and run down part of London. Residents in Newham, in the heart of the proposed Olympic Park, live five years less than people who live in Kensington and Chelsea. Its death rates for infants under one is higher than the national average and it has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the country.
Winning the Olympic bid could help reverse these depressing statistics by rejuvenating the area. It would:

• Double the amount of green space
  
• Transform the landscape – electricity pylons would be removed, rivers cleaned, cycle paths created and canals brought back to life
  
• Create a new 1500 acre park  - one of the largest in Europe – stretching from Hackney Marshes to the Thames
  
• Accelerate the upgrading of local stations such as Stratford, West Ham and Hackney Wick
  
• Create new jobs and investment in a diverse range of industries including construction, hospitality, IT and media
  
• Build 5,000 homes with a significant number being made available to local residents after the games finish.

A clear health legacy for the LLV
Radically transforming the LLV will improve the health and lifestyle of local residents by giving them:

• More opportunities to get physically active thanks to new sports facilities, cycle parks and open spaces
  
• A safer environment so parents feel happier about their children walking or cycling to school, thus improving the fitness of young people
  
• Better transport links making it easier for residents to access health facilities
  
• Improved air and water quality and increased biodiversity as contaminated land is cleaned and the flood plain is rehabilitated
  
• More employment prospects thanks the massive investment the 2012 games will attract into the area

Quite simply, the games would make the area a more fulfilling area to live and work in.

The sporting legacy for the LLV
Once the games are over, the stadia, arenas and other sporting facilities will not become white elephants. The bid team is in discussion with numerous third parties about the use of the Olympic Park facilities after the games.

These discussions are centred on:

• The aquatics centre – which will be built even if the bid is not successful
  
• Velodrome and BMX track
  
• Hard court tennis facilities
  
• Hockey pitches
  
• Multi sports arena
  
• Main stadium

These facilities will become part of London's sporting infrastructure for many years and will be accessible for either grassroots or elite use.

Wider benefits
Along with the rest of the UK, the games would also boost London's tourist industry, create jobs in construction and hospitality and stimulate the voluntary sector. To find out how the Olympic Games could deliver these and other benefits to the country as a whole, click here.