The British Government announced earlier this month that Birmingham 2022 delivered the Games £60 million ($68 million/€68 million) under budget, having been backed by £778 million ($879 million/€890 million) of public funding.

It was also confirmed that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) would work with the West Midlands Combined Authority and Birmingham City Council to spend the remaining funds on supporting the region's efforts to host future major events.

But campaigners for a West Midlands Velodrome believe some of the money left over should be spent on turning their ambitions into a reality.

The campaign was launched after Birmingham 2022 organisers decided to stage track cycling events at the Lee Valley VeloPark in London.

David Viner, a trustee for Halesowen Athletic and Cycling Club who has led the calls for a velodrome, wants a "lower-cost indoor cycling and multi-sports facility" to be built in the West Midlands.

"The aim is to have a lower-cost regional training and indoor training and development indoor velodrome for the diverse population of the West Midlands with the options of either no spectator seating or possibly around 500 seats, similar to the Geraint Thomas Velodrome located in Newport, South Wales," said Viner.

"The Newport velodrome provides an ideal benchmark for a facility which would best suit the needs of our region."

Cookson, who led the UCI from 2013 to 2017, has taken to social media to stress the need for a velodrome in response to the announcement of the underspent Birmingham 2022 budget.

"Let's hope that some of this goes into the West Midlands Velodrome project," Cookson posted on Twitter.

"A badly-needed facility in a region with a great history in cycling.

"Hopefully British Cycling and Sport England will support."

Viner also referenced a technical review commissioned by British Cycling that found that a 250 metres velodrome track with no seats could cost as little as £5 million ($5.7 million/€5.8 million).

"The lower-cost velodrome is a new concept in the provision of more affordable community-type velodromes," added Viner.

"The velodrome would be a legacy of the Commonwealth Games not only for cycling in the West Midlands but also for the many indoor sports it would cater for.

"The words of Brian Cookson as quoted above should be seriously considered.

"A velodrome for the people of Birmingham and West Midlands would be a fitting legacy of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games."

Andy Street committed to backing a plan to build a velodrome in the region in his manifesto when he successfully campaigned for a second term as Mayor of the West Midlands last year.