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Original poster

Parking @ Commonwealth Games

60 replies

Gr33ngr33ngr4ss · 03/08/2022 20:15

Hey - anyone driven & parked near Alexander Stadium in the last few days?

Is parking possible?

Any tips?

Thank you

OP posts:
thehopefulgardener · 03/08/2022 20:22

All of the information on the website says don't even try.
We have tickets for Saturday and have had to prebook space in a park and ride.
Would recommend you try that rather than turn up - you're likely to get stuck.

BertiesShoes · 03/08/2022 21:02

We were there yesterday morning, walking from Hamstead station.

The main road that we walked along had parking officers ticketing cars (there seemed to be a specific parking sticker on some).

Some of the back roads had a marshal at the end, stopping drivers going down them unless residents.

Close to the stadium there are road closures and nowhere to park. So I think you will struggle to park close by.

As pp said, there are P&R car parks (although may be too late to book), else it is 20 mins walk from both Hamstead and Perry Barr stations. You might be able park near to Hamstead station, I didn’t really take note of what parking was like in that area.

Original poster
Gr33ngr33ngr4ss · 03/08/2022 22:00

Left it to DH to sort and P&R are all full.

Walking from Perry Barr it is!

OP posts:

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General sports
IdisagreeMrHochhauser · 03/08/2022 22:03

I used the Park and Ride in Solihull last Saturday for the gymnastics due to the rail strike and it was farcical. Bus driver got lost, dropped us in the wrong place (which was over a 30 minute walk to the venue anyway) and then told us to meet back there for the bus back which was totally wrong. Made what should've been a lovely day very stressful.

dizzygirl1 · 03/08/2022 22:05

I've been up there.... had to book p and r but now they are full.
What about public transport? Within a 'purple area' on their journey tracker all the public transport is free on the day you have a ticket. Could you park somewhere and get the bus/train etc in? I'm not sure where Alexander stadium is, definitely look on the website and look for the journey planner.
Having been up there.... a LOT of roads are closed and none of the venues except nec have parking onsite.

dizzygirl1 · 03/08/2022 22:06

IdisagreeMrHochhauser · 03/08/2022 22:03

I used the Park and Ride in Solihull last Saturday for the gymnastics due to the rail strike and it was farcical. Bus driver got lost, dropped us in the wrong place (which was over a 30 minute walk to the venue anyway) and then told us to meet back there for the bus back which was totally wrong. Made what should've been a lovely day very stressful.

Oh no!
We used the park and ride 1 day - car park V busy at 11pm and took 30 mins to get out but day1... so I think they'll have learnt.
Then used the buses for 2 days.

We had no issues at all and it made it really really easy. A lot of the transport is drop off and you need to walk though just FYI.

EspeciallyDeIighted · 03/08/2022 22:07

Apparently the P&R for Alexander Stadium has been horrendous today, ran really late. We’ve just been offered some tickets for Saturday there by a friend who can no longer use them but we are not having any luck with sorting out how to get there. I think it will have to be the train.

clary · 03/08/2022 22:16

Oh heck we are using P&R tomorrow to get to the stadium. We have allowed a decent buffer (I thought) of two and a quarter hours.

Parked in a multi-storey near the Arena for gymnastics on Fri but pre-booked that as well. That was all fine, tho the security was very slow at the venue.

BertiesShoes · 03/08/2022 22:54

Security at Alexander was awful on Tuesday morning but it was first session so hopefully it will improve! By contrast, Smithfield on Friday for basketball was a breeze.

We had arrived at stadium from one direction, told to join a queue which ran back on itself then merged with a long queue from P&R buses. Except the stewards were not merging us, our line just stopped moving. After some complaints, we were moved along but we missed the first 15mins of the action.

A female steward told me they maybe should have opened gates earlier - I don’t think that would have made an impact. For a 10am start, many are going to arrive between 9 and 10. The stewards need to be better organised and the scanning quicker - although TBF that wasn’t too bad, it was the queue management letting them down.

Lesson learnt, we will arrive earlier on Saturday for the evening session.

@clary - I am at gymnastics tomorrow, hope we are not held up by security, and hope that you get into the stadium in good time.

latestngratest · 03/08/2022 23:12

All the public transport is free so you can park at a strategic train atation and get the train. We parked at Northfield, for events at University and Smithfield (nr Birmingham New St Station). But in the city centre there were hardly any cars. Friends of ours managed to park at a city centre car park ok.

clary · 03/08/2022 23:14

Ah thanks @BertiesShoes the gymnastics on Fri (Men's team final) was awesome, such a great atmosphere. We were literally on the back back row but we still had a great view.

Can't wait for the athletics (have tickets for Saturday as well) as that is my great love <3

Hope everyone manages to get in and see our fabulous athletes in action

changingwinds · 03/08/2022 23:16

Try the Just park app or your parking space. People have been renting their driveways on there close to the games. You might get lucky and find a space.

haloangel · 03/08/2022 23:22

I have had people parking for alexander stadium on my drive through the app Just Park.

hollybolly · 03/08/2022 23:47

Not sure where you are coming from but you could get off the M6 at junction 7, park in the Scott Arms area - (Birmingham rd - A34 i think) and get a number 51 bus towards Birmingham city centre - this will take you past the stadium - buses are free with tickets. Alternatively there are shuttle buses operating from the city centre.

BoredPenguin · 03/08/2022 23:48

I’ve been to the Alexander Stadium the last two nights. I parked in the city centre, and got the free shuttle. So easy, I found it all really well organised. You want to park around Snow Hill station to be closest to shuttle.

EspeciallyDeIighted · 04/08/2022 05:16

We're coming from the SW (Swindon direction) and want to avoid driving into the city centre because of the ULEZ, nothing available for less than about £90 on the driveway parking apps, anyone have suggestions for a bus or train route?

sashh · 04/08/2022 06:02

Just in case you didn't know travel within quite a big area is free on the day with your CG ticket.

So if you are driving, er don't, if you are a long distance away then find a station with parking and get on the train or tram or bus.

Yesterday morning the trains were rammed and quite busy coming home.

www.birmingham2022.com/travel

If you are going tot he netball take ear plugs - when there is a break in the match they play loud music, very loud, you struggle to speak to the person next to you and they continue between the matches.

I had to leave before seeing the second match because my ears were ringing and still are this morning. I'm a bit sensitive to some sounds but other people were complaining.

The games makers are fantastic and there are shuttle busses and a where there is a bit of a walk buggies that can take passengers and one person in a wheelchair.

If you want a beer, you will need to take out a loan, if you want merch as well, remortgage your house. Beer £8, baseball cap £20, although they are apparently dropping the prices.

hanahsaunt · 04/08/2022 06:12

We used the Wolverhampton P&R for the gymnastics last Sunday and it was an absolute dream. We were very impressed.

We have athletics tickets for Friday which we can no longer use 😢 but it means our P&R booking for that is available if you want to PM me and I can try to transfer it?

sashh · 04/08/2022 06:14

@EspeciallyDeIighted

The Queen Elizabeth hospital is in South Birmingham and there is a station, for the university basically across the road.

www.q-park.co.uk/en-gb/cities/birmingham/qemc/

Obviously check train times and small print re parking.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 04/08/2022 07:10

@hanahsaunt Have you given your tickets away? I’m working on the Games & have my husband and baby here so I can feed - It’d make his day if I could get him in for some athletics. If you haven’t already, feel free to PM me what you’d want for them!

OP the P&R has got better after some teething problems and most trains aren’t full. The walk from Perry Barr is fine and you’ll likely be with a lot of other people doing it. Have a brilliant time!

BertiesShoes · 04/08/2022 07:38

@EspeciallyDeIighted

Which stadium are you going to?

@BoredPenguin

What has the queuing for security been like on the last 2 nights?

EspeciallyDeIighted · 04/08/2022 07:40

@BertiesShoes The Alexander

Frazzled2207 · 04/08/2022 07:48

Ah following as we too are there Saturday night.

went to hockey the other day and we parked at tame bridge parkway and got the train which was fine. Free train travel is a nice touch. There is also a line from there to Perry bar (2 stops) - as we are coming from the north that’s our preferred option atm

sorry to hear about security holdups. Hockey was super well organised.

it’s all very well saying don’t drive and I support that in principle but coming from outside birmingham is the only way for the evening sessions really. Website is not helpful at advising. Not everyone can bus/walk all the way!

NoodleSnow · 04/08/2022 07:50

Security at Alexander Stadium was impressively quick yesterday morning. One of those situations where it looks like a queue but we didn’t actually stop walking.
The shuttle buses back in to the city centre were really well organised too. Also saw some shuttle buses for Perry Barr station, so that might be an option.

Frazzled2207 · 04/08/2022 07:51

hollybolly · 03/08/2022 23:47

Not sure where you are coming from but you could get off the M6 at junction 7, park in the Scott Arms area - (Birmingham rd - A34 i think) and get a number 51 bus towards Birmingham city centre - this will take you past the stadium - buses are free with tickets. Alternatively there are shuttle buses operating from the city centre.

Thanks for this tip will look into this as we are coming down the m6. Bus routes always seems very complicated to work out when you’re not in your own city.