Britain appeares to be backing away from a bid for the 2012 Olympics as the minister in charge of sport estimated the chances of success at no better than one in three.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell told a House of Commons committee that even a technically strong British bid would not be guaranteed success and reiterated concerns over the cost of staging the Olympics, which has been estimated at up to STG2.5 billion ($A6.89 billion) by the government.

Jowell said she would seek to guage the chances of a successful British bid during talks with IOC President Jacques Rogge on Friday.

"I think at the moment the collective assessment within Government and in consultation with important sporting bodies is one in three or one in four," Jowell said.

The British government has said it will decide by the end of the month whether to back a bid which would be expected to face tough competition from Paris and New York.

The British Olympic Association, which has said it will not proceed without unequivocal backing from Prime Minister Tony Blair, issued a fresh appeal for support on Wednesday and published an opinion poll which showed that 81 percent back a bid.

"We have always felt that there is a silent Olympic majority who would like to see the Games back in this country for the first time since 1948 and through this poll they have spoken," BOA chief executive Simon Clegg said.

Despite her assessment of the chances of a bid succeeding, and concern over possible costs, Jowell insisted the government still had an open mind on the issue.

"We are looking at the available sources of public income in the broadest possible sense but we have to accept that at the end of the day the provider of last resort is the tax payer.

"That is why we are looking at this (Olympic bid) very much in the context as being a potentially major public expenditure commitment.

"This has to be set alongside the commitment to build new hospitals, build new schools, and so forth."

Provisional plans for a London bid involve regenerating depressed areas on the east of the capital. Jowell stressed that regeneration was not dependent on securing the Games.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP