THE Royal Navy’s Flagship has arrived in Weymouth Bay for the Olympics .

HMS Bulwark and a range of other Naval ships will be providing maritime security during the sailing events in Weymouth and Portland .

The flagship sailed from its home port in Devonport on Monday and spent a few days at sea before arriving in Dorset waters.

Captain Alex Burton, Commanding Officer of HMS Bulwark, said he was confident that his team on board were well prepared and ready for their Olympic role.

He said: “We’re honoured as a nation to be hosting the International Olympic events and the Royal Navy stands ready to support the nation in home waters.

“HMS Bulwark’s task this summer is to support the policing operation in a discreet manner with the provision of capabilities and resources to augment British policing.

“Our military planning team has established a strong and effective working relationship with Dorset Police over the last year.

“Together we’ll deliver a safe and secure Games venue in this region. It’s going to be a spectacular showpiece for the country and HMS Bulwark is particularly looking forward to supporting this unique event on the South Coast.”

While at sea, the ship is settling into new routines and preparing for its special role and making final preparations for its Olympic maritime security duties later this week as the afloat Command and Control Headquarters supporting Dorset Police’s security team.

The Naval Service is providing a range of ships, including the Flagship, Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay, P2000 patrol vessels, landing craft and small fast boats, along with Merlin helicopters from 814 Naval Air Squadron.

Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Maritime Reserves personnel will bring their expertise in specialist roles to provide a safe and secure Olympic sailing venue for the Olympian sailors.

In May this year, HMS Bulwark successfully completed a live exercise at sea. ‘Olympic Guardian’ brought together representatives of the civil, military and government agencies as they practised exercising controlled access to the coastline, air and sea space.

The exercise allowed the teams to understand the environment of the Olympic venue.

Rail staff preparing for action over pay

WORKERS at South West Trains are to take industrial action during the Olympics in a row over a Games bonus payment.

Up to 1,000 members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union at South West Trains will work to rule, including a ban on overtime, from Friday, the day of the opening ceremony, to August 12, the last day of the Games.

It will affect all trains from London to Weymouth, which are expected to carry thousands of passengers to the Olympic sailing events.

Union members at the firm last week rejected going on strike but voted for other forms of action.

The union has been seeking a bonus for its members for working during the Games but SWT insisted it had already agreed a wage deal which covered the Olympics period.

Union members working on the London bike hire scheme will strike for 48 hours from Friday morning in a similar row.

Hundreds of RMT members employed by Transport for London will also go on strike over the first weekend of the Games after failing to secure a deal over a bonus.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “Although we have secured good deals on Olympics recognition and reward for the vast majority of our members we still have a small number of employers holding out and refusing to offer either a fair deal or any kind of deal at all.”

South West Trains said that it would run a full service during the Games despite the overtime ban announced today by the RMT union.

Tim Shoveller, Managing Director of South West Trains, said: “It is disappointing the RMT seems intent on trying to disrupt services at such an important time for our customers and the country.

“Their attempts to renege on the deal they agreed have gone down badly with the public.”