As the Capital gears up for the Olympics, Wednesday saw the Olympics-only traffic Games Lanes coming into operation.

As the restrictions came into place, jams were reported on a number of roads, including the A4 and A40 in west London, Hyde Park Corner and Euston Road.

A total of 30 miles of Games Lanes have been introduced as part of the 109-mile Olympic Route Network (ORN) and in operation from 6am to midnight throughout the Olympics, they run alongside existing lanes.

Any "ordinary" motorist going into the Games Lanes faces fines of £130, while release fees for impounded vehicles could be as much as £200.

The lanes are being used by authorised "Olympic Family" vehicles. These include vehicles used by athletes, Olympic officials and VIPs, with 1,300 vehicles an hour expected to use them.

London mayor Boris Johnson said: "With just days until the opening ceremony, London is more prepared for the Games than any other Olympic city has ever been. The ORN is a requirement of all host cities, ensuring athletes and officials get to their events on time.

"We've already slashed its length by one third compared to what was originally planned and we are introducing these changes to the road network as late as possible, to minimise the impact on Londoners and businesses."