Bid powers ahead

Battersea power station will be floodlit tonight with the 2012 Olympic bid logo to signify south London's support.

Businesses, councils and community groups are meeting to formalise their backing for the Games under the umbrella group South London Partnership.

Games organisers hope that up to 300,000 people will see the projection this evening.

Wimbledon, Greenwich Park and the Dome have been earmarked as venues, and the rest of south London stands to benefit from the East London Line extension to Crystal Palace and West Croydon.

Olympic inspectors will arrive in the capital next month to assess the bid. A reception at Buckingham Palace is being planned alongside a trip to 10 Downing Street during the four-day visit.

Members of the 12-strong team will tour all 27 proposed Olympic venues including the new Wembley and Lord's.

Landmark buildings and open spaces, such as Horse Guards Parade, Hyde Park and Trafalgar Square will be decked out in London 2012 banners. Buses and Tubes will also carry logos in the biggest promotional campaign mounted by Transport for London.

One of the highlights will be a drive through the new Channel Tunnel link, which will be used to speed spectators between St Pancras and the proposed Olympic village in Stratford in seven minutes. The tunnel is complete but the tracks have yet to be laid. Delegatesare also likely to be shown how Stratford can be reached in 20 minutes by road from Hyde Park Corner - with traffic lights changing in their favour. The fact they are visiting during half-term, when traffic is light, should make this easier to achieve.

Strict rules laid down by the International Olympic Committee mean full details of the visit must be kept secret by the hosts.

But London officials have made clear their determination that the capital is seen in its most positive light by the IOC's evaluation committee. It plays a crucial role in determining which of the five competing cities is awarded the Games, with the final decision due on 6 July in Singapore.

The IOC team will begin their London visit on 16 February, having already been to Madrid. They will then go to New York, Paris and Moscow. Key factors in their assessment will be whether the host can remain within budget while kick-starting regeneration.