Those who visited the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are being thanked by Network Rail as the event comes to an end.

The 12 day event had its closing ceremony yesterday (8th August) when two banners were unveiled at Birmingham New Street.

The banners has the message ‘Goodbye from Birmingham, next stop Victoria 2026′ to mark the next location of the games which will be in Australia.

Railway staff and over 300 volunteers who helped with the large amount of visitors that amounted to more than 2 million people that have passed through the station over the course of the events.

The stations concourse held an array of entertainment through Irish dancers, singers, bands, actors and face painting. The volunteers also handed out ice creams to provide a carnival atmosphere.

Denise Wetton, Network Rail’s Central route director, said: “The Commonwealth Games have been amazing and the atmosphere in and around Birmingham has been electric. Our aim was to make sure the Games were about sport and not transport and meticulous planning has taken place so we were ready. I am so proud we have managed to get passengers to and from the venues and back home safely as part of an amazing Commonwealth Games. I wish Victoria the very best for 2026 – they have a very hard act to follow!”

Anne Shaw, executive director at Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), said: “The Commonwealth Games has been fantastic for the city, the region, visitors and athletes. TfWM has been able to make this a Games underpinned by public transport by ensuring everyone has access to the transport network without having to pay extra – a huge step forward in delivering a greener Games.
“It’s been amazing to see the transport industry – trains, buses, trams, bikes and roads – working together as one team to provide the best service and keep people moving to and from sports venues.”