Sir, Attempts by MPs to rein in spending on the 2012 Olympic Games are too little, too late (The Insider, Nov 28). The die has been cast, and the Mayor has signed the contract. We have the games “whatever the cost”.

Members of the One London Group stood alone at the London Assembly 18 months ago in calling for a referendum on the games, with full public disclosure of likely costings. Our proposals, had they been supported by the Conservatives, would have ensured an accountable games.

As it is, we now have the prospect of Olympic lottery money being grabbed by Gordon Brown, and Londoners being faced with massive council tax increases.

The members of the One London Party are the only ones who have consistently been prepared to speak up about the inevitable cost overruns and their consequences for ordinary Londoners. With so many Conservatives involved in the bidding process, it was too much to hope that they would ask for accountability at that stage.

It is, we suppose, easier to allow a potential disaster to occur, criticise from the sidelines and then use it as political capital against the Mayor.

In August 2004 we were criticised by all other parties on the London Assembly for our predictions about cost — predictions which are now regarded as accurate.

DAMIAN HOCKNEY
PETER HULME-CROSS
One London Group
London Assembly, SE1

Sir, It is not surprising that concerns are already being raised over the cost of the 2012 Olympics. The current plans, devised without consideration of what is already in the Lee Valley, could not be more expensive. The northern half of the site consists of various green areas — Hackney Arena: four football pitches, just finishing, opening 2006; Hackney marshes: football fields; Eastway cycle circuit (53 green acres); allotments; Bulley Point nature reserve — and brownfield sites along Waterden Road. All the green sites are to be dug up, all but the cycle circuit to be built on. The cycle circuit, now contoured, is to be flattened (for athletes’ warm-up areas) then dug up again after the Olympics and recontoured.

The warm-up areas could go on the arena and Hackney marshes; the coach park could go on the cycle circuit — no digging it up twice, it is nearer the stadium, no huge bridge needed over the main roads; all the buildings could go on the brownfield areas. Vastly less work, vastly less expensive.

ROY GARDINER
London E1

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