Drivers in Birmingham city centre and the Jewellery Quarter face extensive road closures this weekend as the European Athletics Championships take over the city. The closures begin tonight (Friday 14 August) and run until the evening of Sunday 16 August, with some roads closed for more than 50 hours.
Major roads affected
Key routes including Colmore Row, Colmore Circus Queensway, Suffolk Street Queensway and Great Charles Queensway will be closed, along with many other streets. Motorists should expect the city to be busier than usual, with usual routes potentially completely out of action.
Parking will not be available on the closed roads, and residents have been warned to move their cars before the closures begin.
Closure schedule
On Friday 14 August, Colmore Row (Victoria Square) and Waterloo Street (Victoria Square) will be closed from 8am to 6.30pm on Sunday 16 August.
On Saturday 15 August, from 3am to 3pm, closures will affect Bennetts Hill, Church Street, Colmore Circus Queensway, Colmore Row, Livery Street, Newhall Street, Temple Row, Temple Row West and Waterloo Street.
On Sunday 16 August, a longer list of roads will close from 3am to 1pm, including Berkley Street, Bridge Street, Granville Street, Holliday Street, Tennant Street and Suffolk Street Queensway. From 3am to 3pm, additional closures include Albion Street, Augusta Street, Brindley Drive, Brook Street, Brunswick Square, Brunswick Street, Cambridge Street, Camden Drive, 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, Kenyon Street, King Edwards Drive, King Edwards Road, Kingston Row, Legge Lane, Lionel Street, Louisa Street, Ludgate Hill, Lyon Queensway, Mary Ann Street, Mary Street, Nelson Street, Newhall Hill, Northwood Street, Oozells Way, Parade, Regent Paradise, Regent Place, Regent Street, Sand Pitts, Scotland Street, Sheepcote Street, St Vincent Street, Summer Hill, Summer Hill Terrace, Townsend Way, Vittoria Street, Vyse Street, Warstone Lane and Water Street.
From 3am to 3.30pm on Sunday, Broad Street, Cumberlain Street, Gas Street, Oozells Street and Sheepcote Street (from Broad Street) will close. From 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 and Waterloo Street will also close.
Organisers ask for understanding
A leaflet shared by the event organiser states: "Thank you for your understanding. We aim to minimise disruption as much as possible and would love for you to be part of Birmingham 2026!"
The European Athletics Championships will be held over seven days in Birmingham, prompting the closures to accommodate the event.
