11 May 2007
Almost 90% of the public believe that London's Olympics site will not be completed within the government's current budget estimate.
That is the conclusion of a snapshot survey, published on May 4, which also found that 84% of the public believe that 'the government has not been straight over the financing', while 70% 'wish to ring-fence further public liability'.
The study by Pentacle, a business school specialising in project management, also found that 62% 'are certain' that the site will not be built to the current budget of £9bn. A further 27% are 'not confident'.
The study reflects growing public scepticism about the 2012 Olympics project despite ministers' assurances that the projected costs are now more accurate after they were hiked up from £3bn to £9bn.
Pentacle also claimed that 'the results cast wider doubt on the perceived ability of the public sector to deliver large scale projects'.
Eddie Obeng, a Pentacle director, said: 'One too many blunders in managing large public projects of this kind have made a huge dent in public confidence.'
PFmay2007
