'The world will be watching us' says Network Rail's Central Route Director Denise Wetton of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August. The Olympics last year in Tokyo were held behind closed doors, so this is the first big international event since Covid to welcome spectators' Public transport, rail included, always has a vital role to play in major events such as this. The UK has good experience of successful delivery - the 2012 London Olympics went off without a hitch from a transport perspective. That said, at the time of interview in early January the Omicron variant was still causing difficulty for businesses across the UK, and high levels of self-isolation amongst staff were prompting train operators across the network to reduce timetables. Planning for a major event while managing these ongoing challenges is not easy - although Ms Wetton says she now has a separate team focused on the Commonwealth Games with a dedicated Programme Director, separate from business-as-usual activity.
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