A new waterbus service to the 2012 Olympic Park is set to be launched as part of British Waterways' (BW) plans for a commercial boating base at Limehouse Basin, London.

BW, which is working alongside the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) on the Limehouse Quay scheme, has now launched a search to find an operator to run the new leisure destination. The Limehouse Quay project, which will form part of the wider regeneration of the Limehouse Basin and the Lower Lea Valley, will feature community boats, moorings for restaurant barges and sailing charters along the River Thames.

Waterbus services navigating the area's network of historic canals and rivers will aim to provide visitors with a chance to view east London from a different perspective and offer a unique way to travel to the Olympic Park. BW business development manager, Mark Blackwell, said: "The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, coupled with the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and nearby Stratford City, provide a superb opportunity to breathe new life into east London's canals and rivers.

"The vision for the Lower Lea Valley is for a 'water city' - a new destination where leisure and business opportunities are created around the waterway." LTGDC head of economic development, John Middleton, added: "The River Lee is the heart of east London and was once a key driver of its economy. Our ambition is to improve access, awareness and enjoyment of the river by realising its potential to connect and regenerate the areas along its course."