Concerns over preparation for 2012 Olympics
Concerns over preparation for 2012 Olympics
- One in five people think the Games should be cut back to a more low key event or cancelled all together
Budget worries
With Britain facing unprecedented levels of debt, over half of Britons (51 per cent) are urging the Government not to overspend any further, and one in five (21 per cent) think the Games should be cut back to a more low key event or cancelled all together.
Anxiety about the final cost compared to the current budget has dropped since last year but over half of people (57 per cent) still believe the Games will come in at least one and a half times as much as the current £9.35bn estimate, compared to 64 per cent who thought this in April 2009.
Is it art?
Anish Kapoor?s statue at the heart of Olympic Park was unveiled to mixed reviews and the survey reveals 43 per cent of people think ArcerlorMittal Orbit is a waste of money and 42 per cent see it as an eyesore. Just 14 per cent think it will become an iconic part of the London skyline.
London pride?
Over half of Londoners (53 per cent) say they are excited about the Games but there are some concerns.
One in three Londoners (34 per cent) think the extension of rail lines will not be up and running in time and one in eight (12 per cent) think too much money has been committed to the Games considering the use the uses the facilities may be put to after. However, half of Londoners (49 per cent) think the Games will deliver much needed regeneration to the East End of London, with more than half (56%) thinking it to be at a cost of at least one and a half times greater than previously stated.
Mark Hodson, Director of Opinium Research, comments: ?The cost of the London Olympic Games has been a real concern for people since the Beijing Olympics. With a new Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition Government, it is important that they take note of the public?s concerns. 2012 is still an event people are looking forward to though and it is important the public believe it will be managed and run successfully.?
* Research conducted online amongst a nationally representative sample of 2,016 UK adults by Opinium Research LLP, between 7th and 9th April 2009.
** Comparisons are taken from Opinium Research surveys conducted immediately after the Beijing Olympics August 2008.
