Johnsons Coaches supports Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships with major transport operation

Johnsons Coaches was proud to play a key role behind the scenes at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships, helping keep athletes, officials, sponsors and event teams moving throughout the city during one of the region’s biggest international sporting events.

As a Warwickshire-based coach operator, supporting a major event on our doorstep was a fantastic opportunity for the Johnsons team. Our coaches formed a significant part of the Corporate & Sporting Events Management (CSEM) transport operation at Alexander Stadium, connecting athletes and officials with hotels across Birmingham while also supporting event partners and other organisations.

A major operation across Birmingham

The Johnsons operation ran from eight hotels for four clients, with as many as 17 executive coaches in service each day.

Some vehicles completed up to 26 shuttle journeys per day, with services operating from around 7am through to after midnight, depending on individual client requirements.

Following an initial four-coach programme on 9 August, the operation increased to between 12 and 14 coaches on many days. Our predominantly 53-seat executive coaches were supported by larger vehicles ranging from 63 to 89 seats, giving the team the flexibility to respond to changing requirements throughout the Championships.

Supporting athletes, officials and event partners

A key part of the operation was transporting athletes and officials between city-centre hotels and Alexander Stadium.

Services operated from a number of Birmingham hotels, including the Grand Hotel, Broad Street Plaza, Conference Aston, Leonardo Hotel, Crowne Plaza and Park Regis.

Johnsons also provided an on-demand shuttle service for BBC staff, connecting the Clayton Hotel with Alexander Stadium.

Away from the main Championships operation, the team also supported Interopa with Heathrow collections and daily transfers for passengers travelling from France and the Benelux region.

In addition, Johnsons worked with Angela Shanley to provide transport for the Swedish Athletics Association and its sponsors.

24/7 planning and teamwork behind the scenes

An operation of this scale requires much more than simply putting coaches on the road.

With services running from early morning until well after midnight, Johnsons’ operations and driving teams worked together around the clock to ensure vehicles, drivers and passengers were where they needed to be.

Staggered driver shifts were carefully planned around legal working-time requirements, while transfer vehicles were used to position fresh drivers and return colleagues to Johnsons’ operational centres across Greater Birmingham.

Behind the scenes, our 24/7 operations office managed changes and updates throughout each day, keeping clients, event teams and drivers aligned as requirements evolved.

Drivers received updates through their Johnsons smartphones, supported by telephone calls and face-to-face briefings where required. Schedules, timings and locations were continually reviewed and adjusted to make sure the operation remained responsive throughout the Championships.

Tony Simmons, Commercial Director at Johnsons Coaches, said:

“Supporting an event of this scale in our home region is a fantastic opportunity for Johnsons Coaches and our team. There is an enormous amount of work happening behind the scenes to make sure athletes, officials, staff and partners get where they need to be, often from early morning through to well after midnight.

“Our drivers, operations team and support staff have all played an important part in delivering this operation. The ability to respond quickly, communicate effectively and adapt throughout the day is crucial when you’re supporting an international sporting event of this scale.”

Johnsons Coaches featured on ITV Central

The scale of the operation also attracted the attention of ITV Central, with Johnsons Coaches interviewed as part of the broadcaster’s coverage of Birmingham 2026.

The coverage provided an opportunity to showcase the work taking place behind the scenes to keep athletes, officials and event teams moving throughout the Championships, while also highlighting the important role local coach operators play in delivering major international sporting events.

Proud to support Birmingham 2026

With the Championships now concluded, Johnsons Coaches is proud to have played its part in supporting Birmingham 2026.

From our drivers on the road to the operations and support teams working behind the scenes, the Championships demonstrated the scale, flexibility and professionalism of the Johnsons team — and the important role coach transport plays in making major events happen.

Birmingham 2026: Johnsons Coaches by numbers

• Up to 17 executive coaches operating per day
• Up to 26 shuttle journeys per coach, per day
• 8 hotels served across 4 clients
• Operations running from approximately 07:00 until after midnight
• Predominantly 53-seat executive coaches
• Supporting vehicles ranging from 63 to 89 seats
• Between 12 and 14 coaches operating on many days
• Supporting athletes, officials, staff, sponsors and event partners