Barges start to remove Olympic Park waste

THE Three Mills Lock on the Prescott Channel, which was officially opened last month, is now being used by 350-tonne barges to take waste from the Olympic Park to a specialist recycling centre in Rainham, Essex, says the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).

ODA environment manager Richard Jackson said: ‘The waterways will be a key feature of the Olympic Park, characterizing the parklands and open spaces for spectators in 2012 and the local communities after the Games.

‘During the ‘big build’, they will also play a key role in our logistics strategy, with barges bringing construction materials into the Park and taking waste out again. This is vital in helping us to meet our sustainability targets and will cut down on the number of lorries travelling on the roads.’

The target set out in the ODA’s sustainable development strategy stated that 50% of materials (by weight) would be transported by rail or water. In April 2009, the ODA announced that 57% of deliveries were already being achieved by rail alone.

British Waterways director London, Mark Bensted, said one of the key reasons British Waterways took on the Three Mills Lock project was to see water-borne freight being moved in and out of the Olympic Park.

‘I hope that the lock will help make a real difference, removing lorries from local roads and promoting water transport as a viable option to contractors both in the build up to the Games and in legacy,’ he commented.