ODA annual report: 2012 Olympics on time and to budget

Olympic chiefs are confident they are on course to deliver the 2012 Games on time and budget following the publication of the Olympic Delivery Authority’s latest annual report and accounts today. 

Acting ODA chairman Sir Roy McNulty said: “This is a project without precedent – twice the size of Heathrow’s T5 in half the time. It is one of the biggest business challenges in the world and one of the biggest jobs in the construction industry - a multi-billion pound delivery programme to a fixed deadline.

“Through the efforts of David Higgins and his team we are on track to deliver. The ODA has met all its major milestones to date in its first year, finishing the first major construction programme, the tunnelling needed to underground the powerlines, on time and to budget.

“We have established strong foundations for the project, a feature repeatedly endorsed by the IOC, although we are in no way complacent about the scale of the challenge that lies ahead.”

Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell said: “This has been an exceptional year for the ODA with all planning and development milestones met as we move to the next dig, demolish and design phase of the 2012 project.  Denis Oswald, the head of the IOC group monitoring our preparations, described our preparations as the best he’s seen – recognition of the excellent work of David Higgins and his team.

“I am confident that the world-class leadership we have in place will ensure continued good progress and delivery of a Games and legacy the whole country will be proud of for years to come.”