Coe foresees seven years of 'hard graft'

Work on delivering London's 2012 Olympics will begin on Monday, when the government introduces an Olympic bill into parliament…

Work on delivering London's 2012 Olympics will begin on Monday, when the government introduces an Olympic bill into parliament that will establish the Olympic Delivery Authority, a body that will oversee the infrastructure requirements of the Games.

Sebastian Coe, who will initially lead the London Olympic Organising Committee (Locog), said he intends to begin work next week.

"These are the brief glamour days. There's now real hard graft ahead over the next seven years, and particularly the next six months," said Coe, before news of the London attacks soured the bid team's jubilant mood.

"There really can't be any delays on this. We have a natural advantage because the funding and planning is in place and work has already started on some of the venues. Our responsibility is to make sure that the additional venues that need building get built, that the infrastructure comes in on time and that we have a structure that allows us to drive this every day for the next seven years."

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A huge programme of urban renewal was at the heart of London's bid and the city is keen to avoid the delays that hampered last year's Athens games. Planning permission and land acquisitions are in place, some work already having started on the main site in Stratford.

Athens effectively wasted three years of preparations and was left with a bill of more than €9 billion, more than twice the initial estimate, mainly because of the delays.

The mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, and the government have agreed a public funding package of up to £2.375 billion (€3.5 billion). Part of that would come from lottery receipts. Increases in council taxes that will cost the average household about £20 (€29.50) a year will also help fund the games.

Major contracts for work in the East End will be concluded in the next few weeks.

"I think we've learned pretty well from previous Games . . . that we really do have to start early," Coe added.

The lottery game intended to provide £1.5 billion (€2.2 billion) of the budget will be launched once approval has been received from the IOC, which controls the copyright over the Olympic rings that will brand the scratch cards. The IOC requires Locog be founded within six months but scrutiny of the game's progress will not begin until February.

Meanwhile, the IOC last night reassured London there was no question of the Games being withdrawn following yesterday's terrorist attacks.

But the statement did little to relieve the deep sadness that descended on the victorious bid team less than 24 hours after Wednesday night's result.

The bleary-eyed delight among London's team yesterday morning was swept away as news of the attacks reached Singapore.