Drivers in Birmingham are being advised to expect significant road closures across the city centre and Jewellery Quarter this weekend due to the European Athletics Championships. The event will feature marathon, race walk, and Unity Challenge 1k and 5k running events, necessitating road closures to ensure safety for participants and spectators.
Several key roads will be closed for extended periods, with two central roads shutting down for over 50 hours. Residents have been urged to move their vehicles before midnight to avoid fines or having their cars relocated.
A leaflet distributed ahead of the event emphasises that any vehicles remaining on event routes after closure times may be removed and potentially incur a penalty charge notice. Residents are encouraged to use driveways or park on nearby streets. Signage detailing road closures and parking restrictions has been placed along affected routes two weeks prior to the event. Importantly, pedestrian and emergency access to all properties will be maintained throughout the closures.
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The full schedule of closures is as follows:
Friday 14 August
- Colmore Row (Victoria Square): closed from 8am to 6.30pm on Sunday 16 August
- Waterloo Street (Victoria Square): closed from 8am to 6.30pm on Sunday 16 August
Saturday 15 August (3am to 3pm closures for the following roads):
- Bennetts Hill
- Church Street
- Colmore Circus Queensway
- Colmore Row
- Livery Street
- Newhall Street
- Temple Row
- Temple Row West
- Waterloo Street
Sunday 16 August closures:
- 3am to 1pm:
- Berkley Street
- Bridge Street
- Granville Street
- Holliday Street
- Tennant Street
- Suffolk Street Queensway
- 3am to 3pm:
- Albion Street
- Augusta Street
- Brindley Drive
- Brook Street
- Brunswick Square and Brunswick Street
- Cambridge Street
- Camden Drive and Camden Street
- Caroline Street
- Charlotte Street
- Civic Close
- Clement Street
- Cox Street
- Edward Street
- Essington Street
- Fleet Street
- Frederick Street
- George Street
- Graham Street
- Great Charles Queensway
- Grosvenor Street West
- Hall Street
- Helena Street
- Holland Street
- James Street
- Kenypn Street
- King Edwards Drive and Road
- Kingston Row
- Legge Lane
- Lionel Street
- Louisa Street
- Ludgate Hill
- Lyon Queensway
- Mary Ann Street
- Mary Street
- Nelson Street
- Newhall Hill
- Northwood Street (listed twice)
- Oozells Way
- Parade
- Regent Paradise and Regent Place
- Regent Street
- Sand Pitts
- Scotland Street
- Sheepcote Street
- St Vincent Street
- Summer Hill and Summer Hill Terrace
- Townsend Way
- Vittoria Street
- Vyse Street
- Warstone Lane
- Water Street
- 3am to 3.30pm:
- Broad Street
- Cumberlain Street
- Gas Street
- Oozells Street
- Sheepcote Street (from Broad Street)
- 3am to 4.30pm:
- Barwick Street
- Bennetts Hill
- Church Street
- Colmore Circus Queensway
- Colmore Row
- Cornwall Street
- Edmund Street
- Livery Street
- Margaret Street
- New Market Street
- Newhall Street
- Temple Row
- Temple Row West
- Temple Street
- Waterloo Street
Residents and visitors are thanked for their understanding as organisers work to minimise disruption and make the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships a memorable event for all involved.