Whitechapel Road set for makeover... but no Olympics marathon

CAMPAIGNERS facing a set-back over trying to get the 2012 Games Marathon route returned to East London are still hoping to meet the International Olympics Committee at the 11th hour.

They intend going ahead with a rally on April 5—the day the IoC meets in London.

The set-back follows Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman withdrawing his High Court action against Lord Coe’s Olympics organising committee which has switched the marathon route to the West End.

The mayor struck a deal with Lord Coe for the the East End’s unemployed to get a head start on applying for 1,000 vacancies as well as cash to spruce up parts of the A11 Whitechapel Road (pictured) and Mile End Road leading to the Games.

Activists from Telco London Citizens, representing organizations across East London, have been campaigning since the beginning of the year for the Olympics authorities to change their mind.

“The chances of getting the marathon back to the East End are very slim, given this deal and the short time remaining,” admitted a senior Telco official. “But we still need jobs, housing and youth games to negotiate—so our rally is still going ahead.”

Campaigners have asked to send a delegation to the IoC’s meeting at Westminster from their noon rally on April 5 planned on the Southbank opposite. They are also expecting to meet Lord Coe at the 2012 organising committee’s Canary Wharf HQ later this month.