London Olympics 'are going exactly to plan'

November 23, 2006

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LONDON'S 2012 Olympics are going "exactly according to plan", mayor Ken Livingstone has said despite the spiralling costs.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell revealed earlier this week that the estimated é2.4bn cost of building the Olympic park had risen by é900m.

At the same time, the costs of regenerating the run-down area of east London where the games are being held has gone up by é1.5bn.

Mr Livingstone admitted that further costs were "inevitable" as they had not yet factored in inflation.

But he insisted all the extra money would be recouped and the games would make a profit.

He said: "It is not Alice In Wonderland.

"Nothing's a mess. Everything's going exactly according to plan.

"These games will make a profit.

"We are buying land now, we are doing it up. It will be sold for the construction of housing and employment immediately after the games so this money will come back in."

DO you think we can deliver the Olympics on time and on budget? Have your say.

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London Olympics 'will not be another Wembley'

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Greg, Northern Moor (23/11/2006 at 15:07)

Just like the Metro Link inflation should always come into the equation, are parts of the Olympic plans going to be scrapped like the Metro Link due to spiraling costs I think not ? will they build smaller stadiums because of cost increases I think not ? two faced southern biased government need to be kicked out asap i just do not have any confidence in any other party .

Louise, Ashton (23/11/2006 at 15:50)

if "going to plan" means quadrupling or more of the estimated costs, I suggest the Mayor together with the likes of Seb Coe make up the difference rather than the already hard pressed tax payer footing the bill. after all, these types have plenty of cash to spare. they can then feel free to spout off on the topic, secure in the knowledge they have contributed personally towards it.

Realist, Eccles (24/11/2006 at 08:41)

They could do the same to save money as they did in Manchester for the Commonwealth Games. Just scrap all the public transport schmes and save around 3 billion pounds. Then they can get one of the private bus companies to buy 30 new buses to do the job. It worked here supposedly, so why not in London?

Barrie Segal, London (24/11/2006 at 09:23)

When an obvious item VAT was erroneously missed out from the budget it's difficult to to have confidence in the financial control excercised over the 2012 Olympics. Are the spiralling costs also part of the ??oegoing to plan"?

Steve, Salford (24/11/2006 at 10:14)

Livingston and Jowell, know that the London Olympics are going to cost massively more than they repeatedly assured parliament it would. Their solution? Why it??TMs to hire consultants to keep the costs down of course! That these consultants come with a ??400,000,000 price tag is staggering.

Is it any wonder that the Labour Party is massively in debt with money managing skills like that? Now we tax payers have to fit the bill.

Tony Ball, Wythenshawe (24/11/2006 at 16:42)

All the new transport developements should be scrapped like in Manchester to compensate this increase but it wont as its in the capital one rule for one............

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