London’s Olympic games kick off today amid fears of crippling rush-hour congestion, damaging union strikes and continued concern about security arrangements.
The first Olympic event – Team GB’s women’s football team versus New Zealand – takes place in Cardiff today, marking the start of the epic 18-day sporting spectacular.
But it’s the fun and games away from the sporting arena which continues to define the headlines.
A taxi passes one of the special Olympic traffic lanes which drivers fear will cause road chaos
Later today the Government will seek a High Court injunction to prevent border staff taking strike action on the eve of the Olympics.
Officials have repeated calls for the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union leadership to call off the strike ahead of the Olympics.
A Home Office spokesman said yesterday: "We believe that there was a procedural error in the PCS ballot and are therefore seeking an injunction at the High Court to prevent PCS taking strike action on Thursday.
"We want the PCS leadership to call off this irresponsible strike and we continue to ask members not to walk out at a time when the eyes of the world are on the UK."
Female British Army personnel arrive to patrol the Olympic Park in Stratford
Home Office minister Lord Henley also told peers that officials were examining the legality of the planned walkout, saying the decision to call the strike on Thursday was "opportunist and wholly unjustified".
But a PCS union spokesman said: "There are some very serious issues at the heart of this dispute - not least plans to cut 8,500 Home Office jobs, a third of the workforce.
Meanwhile, the controversial “zip lanes” opened across London which means drivers will be banned from driving in certain sections of the busiest city roads.
"Ordinary" motorists going into the games lanes face fines of £130, while release fees for impounded vehicles could be £200.
The lanes run alongside existing lanes in London and will be used by authorised "Olympic Family" vehicles.
The Government will seek a High Court injunction to prevent border staff taking strike action
These include vehicles used by athletes, Olympic officials and VIPs with the lanes coming into force at 6am today, with 1,300 vehicles an hour expected to use them.
The introduction of the lanes led to morning rush-hour delays today.
There were queues on the M4 in west London, while on the nearby A4 there were jams in Chiswick.
There were also hold-ups for motorists on the A12 at the Lea Interchange in east London and at the A13 Canning Town Flyover.
The A40 around Ealing and at Westway in west London was also congested, while Grosvenor Place in Victoria in central London and the Hyde Park Corner Junction were also busy.
Other areas of London where there were rush-hour jams included Tower Bridge and Baker Street.
Kevin Delaney, former head of traffic at the Metropolitan Police and now head of road safety at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: "London's roads are at capacity or close to it throughout the day.
“If you reduce the capacity for ordinary traffic on the Games routes up to 50%, then you have to reduce the amount of cars by the same amount.”
On the bright side, weather forecasters have predicted more hot weather after Britain enjoyed its hottest day of the year on Tuesday.
And showers which were expected in the capital on Friday could have cleared by the time the evening opening ceremony gets under way.
Later today the Olympic torch will be in safe hands as it is carried by goalkeeping great Gordon Banks, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint and former decathlete champion Daley Thompson.
Travelling 30.48 miles carried by 153 torchbearers, the flame will stop off at Wembley Stadium and Alexandra Palace as it makes its way across north London from Harrow to Haringey.