Here we are in the middle of another Olympics summer - reminding us that it was 12 years ago when the Games and its sailing events came to Weymouth and Portland.

As part of Paris 2024 the sailing events are expected to draw people to Marseille Marina in the south of France and give the city a tourism boost. 

But how did the 2012 Olympics change our area? We take a look at some of the ways in which the Olympics changed Weymouth and Portland.

1.) More traffic lights, fewer roundabouts

 

Work begins on removing the harbour roundabout in Weymouth (Image: NQ)

Olympics related schemes helped pump £177 million of funding into the Weymouth and Portland area for facilities, regeneration and transport projects.

As part of the Weymouth Transport Package (WTP) for the 2012 Olympic Games, several of the town's main roundabouts were removed and replaced with traffic lights.

The objectives were to improve bus punctuality and reliability and to improve journey times for all traffic but this remains a controversial change to Weymouth which some believe should never have happened. 

READ MORE: Olympics 2024 Top 5 moments in Weymouth and Portland 

2.) Weymouth Relief Road

Many schemes were already in the pipeline but given extra impetus by the Olympics or scheduled to finish in time for the Games.

They included the £87m relief road between Weymouth and Dorchester, which many feel has improved the area.

A familiar sight - nose to tail traffic on Dorchester Road in Weymouth before the Relief Road was builtA familiar sight - nose to tail traffic on Dorchester Road in Weymouth before the Relief Road was built (Image: NQ)

One reader said: "The relief road alone is enough of a legacy!

"We waited 30 years for it, how many hours of our lives have we wasted sat in traffic at the very top of Ridgeway queueing to get through Littlemoor lights , only to find clear roads the other side of them."

3.) The changing face of Portland

Many Portland residents opposed plans to redevelop the Officers' Field in Underhill.

They were upset about losing 'the only greenfield site in Underhill', they told the Echo.
 

Work starts on the housing project at Officers Field on Portland Work starts on the housing project at Officers Field on Portland (Image: NQ)

The South West of England Regional Development Agency sold the plot for £2million for a green housing scheme.

Homes were built on Officers' Field which was first used as the Athletes' Village for the Olympics and then sold off as residential housing.

The Officers Field development on Portland The Officers Field development on Portland (Image: Supplied)

4.) A boost to tourism

While Weymouth and Portland has evergreen appeal as a place for holidaymakers, the Olympics helped to further put it on the map. 

More cruise ships than ever are now calling in and giving passengers the chance to visit and spend money in Weymouth town centre.

Olympic rings sculpture on Portland Olympic rings sculpture on Portland (Image: NQ)

The Olympic Rings sculpture, which was initially at Weymouth train station as a welcome to visitors during the Games, was then moved to the Heights at Portland and is much visited today.

There is also a commemorative sculpture at the Nothe Gardens.

5.) Gone but not forgotten

People are winched to safety from the Sealife Tower People are winched to safety from the Sealife Tower (Image: Supplied)

Some changes we've seen since the Olympics are no more.

The £3.5m building Weymouth Sea Life Tower, built in June 2012 on the Weymouth Pavilion site, was described as 'a giant glass donut impaled on a 53m knitting needle.'

It made national headlines when 14 people, including an 11-month-old baby, became trapped and had to be rescued by the coastguard helicopter.

A handful of new restaurants opened around the time of the Games are with us no more.

These include the Chesil Beach Cafe, The Stables at the harbourside serving 'Dorset' pizzas, Salt inside Brewers Quay and the Harbour Bridge restaurant on Trinity Road.