" I cannot remember - within the last forty years - any capital project, either taxpayer funded or privately that has been finished on time and within budget."
IIRC the recent monster revamp of Reading Railway station and the surrounding tracks (about £ 500 mm??) came in under budget and effectively a year early.......................
Of course we only get headlines for projects which fail so you have to assume that at least SOME come in on time and budget.................