A foot and cycle bridge erected across Stratford High Street to link the Greenway on either side during the London Games is to be relocated to inside the Olympic Park.

Also known as the T12 bridge it was used inside the park during its construction for the Games and is now being moved back to the Velo Park, where it will connect waterways and form part of the road cycle circuit.

The six-lane wooden bridge, located towards Bow Flyover, is currently being taken apart and is expected to be in place at the Velo Park next Spring.

It will be called the Southern Bridge, and along with an identical bridge called the Northern Bridge, will link either side of the River Lea. The pair will form part of 30 bridges once the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opens.

There was no direct crossing linking the Greenway either side of Stratford High Street before the Games.

But during the Games the 200 tonne wood and metal T12 bridge, capable of holding 38,000 pedestrians, was installed to cope with the anticipated number of spectators coming from West Ham station. A pedestrian crossing was also put in place underneath it for wheelchair users, and it is understood a permanent street level crossing for pedestrian and cyclists is now planned.

A Newham Council spokesperson said: “This bridge was always intended to be only a temporary facility for the Games. It clearly would not be practical —and far too expensive —for the council to maintain it, particularly in the current economic climate.”

“Instead, a new crossing spanning Stratford High Street is being created. It will be fully accessible for pedestrians, disabled people and cyclists.”

A spokeswoman for London Legacy Development Corporation said it had always been the intention to reuse the bridge.