Hundreds of Paralympic competitors are flying into the UK today - as the first of the Games lanes comes into force.
British Airways said today would be its busiest day for Paralympic arrivals at London's Heathrow airport.
BA is flying in Paralympic teams from 25 countries including ParalympicsGB who are thought to be arriving at Heathrow next week from their training camps abroad.
Along with the athletes, BA is also transporting around 300 wheelchairs and sporting equipment such as firearms, weapon bags and physiotherapist cases.
Meanwhile, the first of the Paralympic Games road lanes comes into force between junctions 3 and 2 on the M4 which takes traffic from Heathrow into central London.
Boris Johnson says the Paralympic tickets are selling 'like hotcakes' It will be in operation each day as needed from 5am to 10pm, with "ordinary" traffic able to use it outside these times.
The M4 lane is part of a much smaller Games lane operation than for the main Olympics with just 8.7 miles of special lanes for the Paralympics.
The lanes are part of the Paralympic Route Network (PRN), which, in turn, is much smaller than the 109-mile Olympic Route Network.
Apart from the M4 lane, the PRN will not come into force until next Wednesday.
It will be focused on the City of London where the International Paralympic Committee and the world's media will be based and on venues in east London.
On most days, the number of people travelling to the Olympic Park will be as many as travelled there during the Olympics, with up to 215,000 spectators expected.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: "The Paralympic Games are shaping up to be the best ever as London continues to buzz with Olympic excitement, and Paralympic tickets are selling like hot cakes."
Meanwhile, four groups of Scouts were setting off on a challenging climb up four of the UK's highest mountains to create the flame that will light the Paralympic Torch.
The teams will climb Scafell Pike, England's highest peak, Slieve Donard, the highest peak in Northern Ireland, Snowdon, Wales's highest peak, and Scotland's Ben Nevis.
When they reach the top they will use a ferrocerium rod and strike it against a rough steel surface to make the sparks that will create the flame.
The flame will then be placed in a miner's lantern and brought back down on foot.
It will then be transferred to London, Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh for a day of Paralympic celebration at the end of this week and over the bank holiday weekend.
The Paralympics start next Wednesday and end on September 9.
