AN OLYMPIC host borough lacks public swimming pools and is unlikely to improve in the run-up to the Games in 2012, a report found.

The London Assembly’s report estimates that 53 per cent of residents in Greenwich, or 118,001 out of 222,626 people, live more than 20 minutes' walk from a public pool.

The Olympic host borough also has no diving facilities and has poor access to public transport.

There are four public swimming pools in the borough, as well as a pool at Charlton School, in Charlton Park Road, Charlton, and an outdoor pool at Charlton Lido, in Shooters Hill Road, Woolwich.

Greenwich Swimming Club meets at Arches Leisure Centre, in Trafalgar Road, Greenwich, and chairman Jonathan Carter would like to see more pools available.

He said: “Half the problem is a lack of facilities. There’s always a stress on pool time and operators are always trying to maximise the use of the pool.

“However, I’m hopeful that we can work with the council to get better utilization of pools in the borough.”

As part of the council’s drive to modernise pools Arches Leisure Centre will be replaced by new facilities at the Greenwich Centre, in Woolwich Road, Greenwich, which is due to open in 2011.

And the Eltham Centre, in Archery Road, Eltham, opened last year to replace the ageing Eltham Pools in Eltham Hill.

A new diving training centre will also be built at Charlton Lido.

However, the assembly’s report claims that access to pools is unlikely to improve dramatically.

It claims that in four years' time 35 per cent of residents, or 86,625 out of an estimated population of 247,036, will still live more than 20 minutes walk from a pool by 2012.

Tory councillor Spencer Drury has criticised the council for not providing adequate swimming facilities in the borough.

He said: “The pools being built are not new pools, they are just replacements. We should be looking at improving existing ones.”

Greenwich Council has denied that there is a lack of pools.

A council spokesman said: “We are currently involved in a swimming development programme which will aim to ensure that all children have access to swimming regardless of their location and ability."