ALL PARTY GROUP VISITS SITE OF OLYMPIC PARK
Members of the All Party Parliamentary Building Services Engineering Group visited the site of the Olympic Park on 12 June 2007. The visit was hosted by Howard Shiplee, Director of Construction at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). Members were given an initial briefing on progress at the Canary Wharf offices of the ODA. This was followed by a question and answer session during which Howard Shiplee was able to confirm that retention will not feature in any of the Olympic Construction Projects.

The Party then boarded a minibus for a tour of the construction sites. First stop was a specially constructed viewing gallery on the 21st Floor of a block of flats overlooking the site of the Park and the new Stratford International rail station. This provided a very clear perspective of the immense task ahead. The Party then moved on to view the sites of the proposed Olympic Stadium, Aquatic Centre and Velodrome. Work on clearing the sites is already in hand; an important milestone was achieved in June 2007 with the completion of two 6km tunnels which will take re-routed power cables under the site and enable pylons to be removed.

In the House of Commons on 14 June, Claire Curtis-Thomas MP, Chair of the All Party Building Services Engineering Group was able to pay tribute to the work of the ODA in the following exchange with Leader of the, House Jack Straw.

"Mrs. Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby) (Lab): This is a great month for engineers and engineering in the UK. We celebrate the 100th birthday of Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine and, crucially, the Olympic Delivery Authority announced yesterday that its first construction project has been delivered on time and on budget under the stewardship of Howard Shiplee. When can we make time in the House to discuss the role of engineers and engineering and their contribution to our British economy?

Mr. Straw: I pay tribute to what the ODA has been able to do–I am chairman of the Cabinet Committee on the Olympics, and have therefore watched progress. We must make sure that progress continues, but projects could not be delivered without the fine service and great skill of British engineers. I shall certainly bear what my hon. Friend says in mind"