Travel preparations for the Olympics have been facing problems recently with just days to go until the opening ceremony.

Motorists faced long queues today on routes where pre-Olympics modifications have been made to road layouts.

There were delays of up to an hour on the A13 between the Canning Town Flyover and the A1261 East India Dock Link Tunnel junction in east London.

There were also jams on the A12 southbound in Leyton in east London while there were 45-minute hold-ups on the A40 Western Avenue in west London.

The delays were less severe at these spots than they had been yesterday, suggesting that drivers were heeding the warnings by Transport for London to avoid driving in London in the run-up to, and during, the Games.

The road changes have been made ahead of the full introduction tomorrow of 30 miles of Olympic traffic-only Games Lanes in London as part of the 109-mile Olympic Route Network.

London Underground services were running without delays today, but Monday saw a series of problems, including routes that will serve the Olympic site at Stratford in east London.

Heathrow is also feeling the impact of the Olympics today with its busiest day for Olympics arrivals. The airport will handle around 1,200 athletes and coaches flying into the west London airport as well as more than 3,000 other Games-related arrivals.

The Olympic flame will ride the London Underground today as it continues its week-long journey through each of the host city's 33 boroughs.

Service operator John Light, 64, will carry the torch along the District line from Wimbledon to Wimbledon Park in the driver's cab of the train, while Olympic rings will adorn the front and first carriage.

Mr Light, who has worked for London Underground since 1963, said: "Transporting the Olympic flame is a once in a lifetime experience. I feel really privileged to have been given this opportunity to be part of the Games in this way.

"I've worked for London Underground for 49 years so to be able to hold the flame on its Tube journey is a huge honour for me and a moment I will treasure for the rest of my life."

A total of 144 torchbearers, including rower James Cracknell, skeleton racer Adam Pengilly, skier Chemmy Alcott and cyclist Eileen Gray, will carry the flame as it travels 43 miles across the capital.