麻豆约拍

One of the official Olympic boroughs, Tower Hamlets will play host to the marathon and the walking events in 2012.

But in addition it offers one of the main gateways to the primary sporting site in Stratford via the Greenway walking and cycle path.

But in a borough which experiences high levels of poverty there are concerns that tax payer鈥檚 money could be better spent elsewhere.

Transport problems are apparent

Mohammad Shakir

Mohammad Shakir, works at the east London Mosque, in Whitechapel, which caters for one of the biggest Muslim congregations in the UK.

He says improvements to transport links in the East End has brought about more travel problems to those who rely on public transport in the short term.

And while he appreciates work needs to be done to make the area capable of catering for the huge crowds the games will draw he says the current situation makes life difficult for some.

鈥淚t seems not just the Olympic site is being redeveloped, it鈥檚 pretty much every part of east London鈥� he said.

鈥淎nd that includes Whitechapel 鈥� they鈥檝e changed the traffic restrictions, they鈥檝e created new roads, they鈥檝e put extra traffic lights in and it鈥檚 creating huge tailbacks along White Chapel Highway.

鈥淣ew stations for the Olympics are also causing different roads to be closed and on weekends their upgrading the public transport system so family and friends can鈥檛 get around, because it鈥檚 what they rely on.鈥�

Some feel part of the Games

Veronica Lancaster

Mother and bank worker Veronica Lancaster is not letting the doom and gloom of the current economic situation cloud her view of the games.

Despite working in a sector which has been deeply affected by the downturn she thinks 2012 is worth the money.

She said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that I think the country really needs to make us proud to be British.

鈥淚 think for a lot of youngsters it will get them to realise their dreams and to participate in something that is quite eventful and historic as well.

There are concerns about legacy

Jim Blakemore

Jim Blakemore, the founder of the cycling charity Bikeworks, has concerns about how people in Tower Hamlets will be able to benefit from the legacy of the games.

And in a borough which struggles with the problem of obesity he hopes the new facilities in neighbouring Newham, will be accessible.

鈥淥ne of the reasons I think 2012 could be good is because we are going to be left with lots of state of the art facilities such as the velodrome and the aquatics centre and the stadium which hopefully will be used by Londoners.

鈥淚 think the worry for me is that there are not going to be free to get in. There鈥檒l be a whole commercial part of legacy and we are still in one of the poorest areas in the country so unless something incredible changes, in five or ten year鈥檚 time, will local residents be able to afford to use the facilities?