The FIFA Women’s Football World Cup heads toward its conclusion with the final due to take place this Sunday 20 August 2023. Tune it - It will be epic - and what a truly fantastic experience it has been. As one commentator said ‘ We no longer have men’s football and women’s football. We now just have football. ’

Spending some time observing the Tournament as a spectator has been truly revealing and having been involved in organising many international events over the years has provided with some excellent insights as to what spectators will expect at future events. For those interested in more depth then please get in touch but in summary here are our key highlights.

Things that went well:

• a welcoming nation that fully embraced the sport. Undoubtedly buoyed by a national team that was performing well the community whole heartedly entered into the spirit of the occasion providing open arms to all nations, colours and creeds that joined the celebration . It was also a truly humbling privilege to observe a country connecting (more) fully with its aboriginal heritage and integrating that throughout the occasion.
• a spectator experience on the streets, in the fan festival sites and in the stadiums that was second to none. Whether it was engaging look and feel, pulsating entertainment, good value refreshments and  quality and affordable merchandise - even if the home nations kit quickly sold out (as is business as usual for most events!).
• the quality of the sport was sublime - from the technical ability of the players, to the consistency of the refereeing and the precision of the VAR decisions. It truly has been an event for the technician. This included the efficiency of the e-ticketing process from purchase through to gate entry and the courteous yet thorough bag searches on venue entry.

Things that did not (all related to last nights semi-final between Australia and England):

• the madness of allowing two separate events (the biggest football match in history PLUS a popular Australian music act) at neighbouring venues (a close to full 80,000 seater sports stadium and a 20,000 indoor arena) to finish at the same time beggars belief. The lack of collaboration and foresight was unforgivable.
• the complete lack of obvious back up plan to deal with the potential loss of the primary mode of transport for the event as train services at the main egress train station failed just as the event(s) finished due to vandalism at a local signalling facility. The lack of resilience and coordination was plain for all to see.
• leaving tens of thousands of people in a vacuum of information about reasons for transport delays, available alternative routes and reassurance as to the likely duration of any disruption was unforgivable.

Don’t get us wrong. As event professionals we fully understand that things go wrong and the isolated incident of transport failure last night is not the end of the world. Particularly in the context of a truly special event. What probably disappoints the most however is the lack of solidarity among the agencies involved. Spectators paid their money to FIFA for the match, it proudly (and rightly) included public transport travel ‘for free’.  Therefore in the minds eye of the spectator it becomes FIFA's responsibility to deliver the full experience. Yes Sydney Trains (and NSW Transport?) were required to deliver the service but why today is it that Sydney Trains are taking an arse kicking for ‘the failure’. The truth is all stakeholders are at fault and should humbly stand together, take the fall and ensure that the lessons learnt are rolled into future FIFA events AND future events at Stadium Australia.

If Sydney and Australia are to become the mecca for major international events that they aspire to then fast lessons need to be learnt. With the Rugby World Cups of 2027 (Men's) and 2029 (Women's), the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and many more high profile events in between then the time is now to learn and adapt. There is so so much for the country to celebrate in how this event has gone and many positives to build on for the future. We just hope that honesty and transparency prevail in the post event analysis of things that did not quite go to plan and that  the opportunity is taken to ensure that excellence prevails rather than pretend that the bad stuff didn't happen.

Thank you Australia (and New Zealand) for an epic occasion. Bring on the next.

What are the chances that from Monday morning the 11 May, following the UK Prime Minister's announcement of Phase 2 of lock down on Sunday evening, we will see the UK's first ever nationally led multi-modal travel behaviour change campaign?

In recent weeks it has been inspiring to see many Cities across the world using travel behaviour messaging to reinforce the 'stay at home' mantra or whatever versions of that have applied. In the UK the response, in relation to behaviour messaging and travel, from the likes of Transport for London, Transport for Greater Manchester, Transport for West Midlands and some others has been exemplary. BUT the story is not uniform - actions have been within a national vacuum and in some cases inconsistent. Those that are into marketing communications will understand that to achieve  greatest impact and resonance with an audience a 'campaign' led-approach is required where agreed core messaging is delivered in a concerted, consistent, coordinated and timely manner from as many of the right communication channels as possible and across as many of those agencies that are communicating with the same audience as possible. In isolation the actions of local authorities and their partners will still achieve good things, and should be applauded, however if this could be stitched together on a national level the impact will multiply not least because businesses and individuals exist in and travel through more than one  local authority jurisdiction and on more than one transport mode.  

Imagine if from this Monday 11 May in the UK (immediately following our Prime Ministers latest missive),  a campaign hit the streets aimed at managing travel demand across all transport networks. One that attempted to lock in some of our current ‘new’ behaviours and ensure that as we move forward those behaviours effectively supported a recovering economy and a recovering society. A campaign that encouraged people to reduce their overall amount of travel particularly by road and public transport, one that called for greater remote working for those that can, one that suggested it would be common sense for those of us that could do so travelled at less busy times to enable key workers (which in due course could include a wider definition than now) to get where they need to and one that actively and obviously promoted walking and cycling for local journeys and more generally spoke of the importance of daily exercise. Naturally, it would need to also ensure that other guidance on social distancing and so on continued.

Many would argue that the extent and precise nature of any campaign would need to be carefully thought through. Yes to a degree, but I would argue that right now we do not have the luxury of time to wait for perfection if we seriously want to affect a step change. As Voltaire said '..don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good'. A failure to take any action on effectively influencing travel behaviours will not result in a good outcome. The campaign can, by its nature, start quickly but be agile and and flex according to changing circumstances easily and cheaply certainly compared to decisions about new infrastructure.

For you statisticians there are many sources of research on this subject. One that has stuck with me most was from the UK's Automobile Association. They recently revealed that of 20,000 car drivers across the UK asked about how their post-COVID behaviours might change compared to those beforehand:  

• 22% will drive less
• 51% will drive as before
• 1% will drive more
• 36% will walk/cycle/run more
• 40% will undertake more physical exercise
• 20% will undertake more social activity with their friends/family

Over 65% of respondents said they were currently working from home and over 10% on average said they would continue to do so with that rising to over 20% among those in their 30-40s.

And all this is without any additional form of encouragement to sustain it. Imagine what could happen if there was.

The commentary about massively good impacts on air quality has also been relentless as have the stories of families being able to slow down, enjoy each others company and reset thinking about their family values and what is important for quality of life - when you don't need to commute for hours a day.

Clearly for many (but I suspect the minority) resuming to pre COVID lifestyle and travel behaviours is inevitable as their choices are limited but for the majority who right now are hugely malleable the time to act is  upon us. We are all  in the midst of adjusting to a new norm and so in behavioural psychology terms now is exactly the right time to at least try to lock in and sustain travel behaviours for the future.

Importantly, the campaign would need to be driven from a single point (in my view UK Government's Department for Transport) and adopted by all transport operators, local authorities, business and so on to achieve maximum impact. A national campaign would allow the focusing of scant resources by local authorities, transport operators and others on delivering essential services whilst also nuancing messaging specific to their territories. It would also significantly increase the chances of a reduced capacity public transport network being able to focus on transporting those most in need and supporting economic recovery whilst going some way to stemming a return to pre COVID-19 road congestion and in doing so enable business to get on with things more efficiently. It would ensure costly investment decisions on supporting transport services and infrastructure could be deferred until  we understood what the new shape of demand required.

It could do a lot of good. How much good is debatable. But I guarantee it would do more good than not doing it.

But it would also be a real shame that it would have taken a life changing global crisis for this to happen. For almost two decades many of us have been calling for what has always felt like a common sense move like this to be led and implemented nationally.

The UK, North America, Australia, Japan and many others has seen countless times how managing travel demand in this way during  major disruptors such as large scale international sporting events has worked. We have enjoyed being part of that process - so why are many so slow to see its value right now.  COVID-19 is a disruptor like no other. It’s needs a demand management campaign like no other. 

When the sun rises this Monday morning in the UK will we see the launch of such a thing? Let's wait and see.... 

Well that was the scenario faced by Harlequins Rugby Club, one of the UK and Europe’s premier rugby clubs last month. The event, known as Big Game, was to take place at Twickenham Stadium (the home of England’s national rugby team) and consisted of two matches in one afternoon/evening and was to be the highlight of their fans calendar.

In the Round was asked to work with the Club, stadium and a range of stakeholders to develop a package of interventions that would assure spectator experience and minimise the impact of disruption. There was also a requirement to manage the risk of negative commercial impact that could have transpired if potential event goers had been deterred from buying tickets by news of the industrial action.

With less than 4 weeks to go there was little time to strategise, which with longer to prepare for planned disruption would normally be the case, so In the Round and the event organisers set about the task. The focus was on developing and implementing a plan that included agile transport operations, innovation in managing spectator travel demand, measures to reduce impact of non-event goer travel, robust traveller information all wrapped in efficient stakeholder relationship and project management.

Agile planning of transport operation

Twickenham Stadium is of course familiar with managing travel for major events BUT this time , in short order, a new plan was needed which included some different to business as usual transport solutions. This included additional shuttle bus services to other London Underground stations not impacted by reduced services, new coach services to locations where ticket data analysis showed clusters of spectators were based, alternative formalised and more efficient taxi drop off and pick up points, additional parking and work with the train company to encourage them to focus resource onto the main train routes for the event.

Innovation in managing spectator travel demand

Similarly, a new approach to influencing how and when spectators chose to travel was needed. This included consideration of extended venue opening and closing times with changes to entertainment and food and drink concessions operational hours, working with food and drink retailers in the local area to offer discounts at times of day to encourage spectators to arrive early/stay later, consideration of selling spaces in spectator car parks on a sliding price scale to encourage early arrivals, investigating the role of timed train slot bookings rather than seat reservations and fast track style queuing at the station after match, extending shuttle and coach service operating time and working with Uber and other taxi operators to ensure their platforms/drivers new of designated arrangements for them.

Measures to reduce impact of non-event goer travel

Influencing travel choices by those that usually travel through the area, but not going to the event, also had a more significant role to play than usual. Messaging agreed with stakeholders was developed. It advised those that might normally travel in the area of when and where it was expected to be busy with clear guidance on the expected quieter times of day. A range of widespread communications were deployed across communication channels of all stakeholders, including advanced warnings on road signs, announcements in stations and on trains, radio bulletins, community newsletters and websites and more. GoogleMaps and Waze platforms were also used to ensure road users regular travellers new about the event and to route around the key times to avoid congestion.  There was also a comprehensive briefing of relevant local media to maximise reach.

Robust spectator communication

Changes were needed to how spectators were usually communicated with. A single core narrative about travel and transport for the event was developed with stakeholders and hosted on the Club and venue website and amplified through their channels (email to ticket buyers, social media and then in venue) and channels of other stakeholders including the other Clubs involved in the event. The direct communications to spectators was also geographically targeted so, for example, the new localised coach service was promoted to those known to live in that area through bespoke email and social media. Communications also sought to manage expectations in terms of possible delays and queuing after the event. There was also a reassuring tone to content and messaging in an effort to avoid deterring potential ticket-buyers.

Efficient project and stakeholder management

Collaboration and efficient working needed to be at the core particularly with only 4 weeks to arrange. A cross agency working group was quickly mobilised and used as a forum for advising of the plans and seeking cooperation with operational and communication activities. With little time to spare lengthy face to face meetings with stakeholders were replaced with group teleconference calls, e-mail and one to one phone calls. Milestones were identified to inform key decision making which was particularly important given uncertainty as to whether the strike would go ahead and if it did what the impact would be on train timetables. Setting and agreeing clear timing points provided the train company with a focus for their decision making and provided a shared appreciation that from a customer experience point of venue prolonged uncertainty would do nothing to reassure potential event ticket buyers. While not all stakeholders were able to lend their support to aspects of the plan having a clear vision from the outset gave the desired outcome the greatest chance of success.

We are pleased to report the event was a success with over 75,000 spectators enjoying their day out. The demand for travel was spread not only by time of day but also across the new transport operation and there was no reported transport disruption.

It was a great example of what can happen when there is a clear vision and stakeholders understand the collective benefit of a course of action and are as a result willing to adapt their thinking to accommodate new ideas. It also demonstrated again that if communicated with effectively, spectators and a local community are also willing to adapt their travel behaviours because they understand the personal benefit of doing so.

Most of all, for the author, it demonstrated how vital whole spectator experience is or should be to event organisers. In this case the Club and stadium quite rightly recognised the value to their reputation of investing in a quality spectator experience that extended beyond selling tickets or what happens inside the venue to how spectators could get from their front room to the front row . Please get in touch with Jon Foley (jon@intheround.global) if you'd like to find out more.

Some insights into a fascinating City as it comes to host some big sporting events in the next year.

Integrate, integrate, integrate
Whether it’s ensuring sensible land use and transport planning decisions are made hand in hand or ensuring that transport systems for our cities, towns and rural areas are balanced across all modes. Too much of the debate at the moment is focused on single issues and solutions in search of problems. Urban transport plans have been a component of most geographies planning for decades, they consider all modes of travel and how they are integrated with one another the result is a range of travel options for individuals to choose from. Let’s do more of that and consider the role of new modes alongside other modes.

Shared responsibility
Creating an environment where there is shared social responsibility across private and public sectors will help ensure that mobility transformation achieves economic and social objectives in a balanced way. There is a risk in the rhetoric at the moment - be careful what you wish for by simply letting the market decide. An 'alliance-led' approach for our nations and regions where public authorities clearly state their ambitions as to the mobility operators will be key to arriving at a shared view of the future which is of maximum value to all.

Demand Management
It's here to stay. A system that organically knows where and when it is busy and realigns itself in such a way that the demand can be spread more efficiently will be vital to our future. Where it’s not possible for the transport system itself to organically change (traffic signals that change phasing based on demand being a basic example or surge pricing of transport during busy periods being another) then influencing individual travel behaviours through other means will be key (simple but effective digital marketing travel awareness programmes being a basic example). Sadly we don’t always know what’s good for us and need a little help from time to time being reminded about the consequences of our actions.

Mobility fashionability
Avoid it! There is a clear trend emerging for some cities to want to be seen to have the latest mobility technology. This gives rise to a boom and bust era where the host city fails to truly understand the strengths and weaknesses of the solution and invariably it fails before it has a chance of success. Or the negative consequences outweigh the positive consequences. Thoughtful planning by decision makers is required that considers the circumstances in which a particular solution can be successful. It has taken time for some of the negative consequences of on-demand taxis to become clear and City authorities have retrospectively had to take action - getting on the front foot earlier may have helped the on-demand phenomenon realise broader positive impacts sooner.

Urban design will be key
Most commentators now appreciate that in an on-demand world we can do without central area car parking. Some also argue that autonomous vehicles could result in us having more shared spaces or at least narrower carriageways. There are many aspects of where mobility and urban design need thinking through in an integrated way. For now at least let’s ensure that new urban design is future proofed in such a way that it’s possible to relatively easily adapt to mobility technology advancement.

Mobility as a Service tests of readiness
To maximise its potential success Mobility as a Service should be facilitated in such a way that it satisfies a few tests. It should be seen as fully integrated, the social and economic consequences of its application should be understood, the operating principles and ownership of the platform should be socially and commercially defined with the interests of one and all at their core. As an example, a platform that prompts the user to think twice before taking motorised transport for a very short journey (unless they have restricted mobility) when bike hire or walking may be a 'better' option or indeed puts a price premium on shorter motorised journeys over healthier and possibly comparably quick alternatives would be interesting.

Leadership and vision all the way
"The best way to predict the future is to create it". There is much speculation currently about where the transformation in mobility is taking us. The truth is that with the right collective minds looking at tangible challenges in our cities, towns and rural areas and the opportunities presented by the technology, changing social tides and the like that we can determine what and how we want our places to function and then set about putting in place the building blocks to ensure that ‘vision’ becomes reality. It is so encouraging to see many City authorities taking the lead but more need to act in helping define the future and not wait for it to happen to them.

And finally, most importantly, don't forget the people!

A simple statement but we must avoid getting lost in the glitz and glamour of new technology and the advancement of new mobility solutions. Ultimately travel and transport are a means to an end. We move ourselves or we move goods and services because their is a demand for us to do or provide something. We should perhaps start thinking more about why it is that we require access to each other and goods/services and design our places and spaces more so that we reduce the need for travel over longer distances. The result being that we will see a reduction in the reliance on motorised transport (autonomous, electric or otherwise). Relentlessly catering for demand in an unmanaged way will not end well.

If you wish to share your views on the future of mobility or just wish to discuss some of the points raised here then please contact Jon at In the Round Ltd (jon@intheround.global).

Going to an event whether its sports, music or something else entirely, you want the experience to be great from the very beginning. Whether you pay a lot of money for a ticket or whether it’s free you have an idea in your head of how it will go and what to expect. So what makes a great spectator experience?

For me, when I go to an event as a spectator I expect to be wowed from the beginning! I firstly think about how I’m getting to and from the venue, then first impressions when you arrive is a big part followed by customer service from ticket checks, bag searches to programme sellers.

It’s not just on the day interactions that forms part of someone’s expectations, but the information you receive in advance which makes things such as travel and security easier and stress free for you.

I have worked on many events now in various roles and as part of each of my roles something that always sticks in my mind is what would spectators expect and what would exceed their expectation? So here’s some of the top things I have learnt about spectator experience:

1.       Information in advance

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in traffic and missing the start of an event, so information in advance of an event is key. It is important that information is accurate, consistent and is provided in plenty of time. Spectators need to be able to access travel information no later than when they get their tickets.

There may be some changes to local transport round the venue, whether it’s a change in frequency, road closures/diversions or station closures. For example, during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, Cutty Stark DLR station was closed due to short platforms and it couldn’t take the number of crowds expected. So there was a travel demand management campaign which helped inform spectators of these changes and recommendations instead to avoid on the day disappointment and confusion.

For the UEFA Champions League Final 2017 in Cardiff, information was provided to all spectators in advance through the clubs, the Cardiff2017.wales website and the Cardiff 2017 travel app. The website and app were the key sources of information providing information on all the different modes of transportation and a journey planner providing the options of getting to the event.

They also provided information on security around the city and stadium. By providing information on the bag policy and security checks made spectators aware that they needed to allow plenty of time to get to their seats and enjoy the event.

Another great information tool is high quality maps which can be used in multiple places. For the Rugby World Cup and Cardiff 2017, we used a variety of maps across the website, social media and spectator guides. These provided information on key locations such as the stadium, hospitality, fan meeting points, fanzones and all recommended walking routes between them. This provided everyone with visuals for them to plan ahead and also to use on the day.

On most of the major events I have worked on including London 2012, Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cup 2015 and Champions League Final 2017, In the Round has created and delivered successful travel demand management campaigns which has provided information and awareness to visitors saving them a lot of time and stress before the event.

2.       On the day information

Information on the day is also key, there may be some last minute changes, delays or updates that spectators may need to know. During the UEFA Champions League Final we created an app which sent notifications out providing information to individuals e.g. long or no queues at the rail station, and a reminder of the Stadium’s bag policy.

Social media was also a good way to inform spectators on what’s going on and gives people a chance to ask questions with a quick response.

I feel stewards/volunteers are a good source of knowledge on the day of the event. I think it is always good to have volunteers outside the venue, local key transport hubs and within the venue. Providing information in a professional friendly way helps provide a high level of standard that people expect.

3.       Customer Service

Which brings me onto customer service and the ‘faces’ of the event! As a spectator you want staff and volunteers to be friendly and approachable, and ideally have a smile! Remember a smile always goes a long way! They are the ones who give you information if you have a problem or enquiry, so to feel you are being listened to and given correct accurate information is important. One of the most memorable parts of 2012 was the public’s response to the Gamesmakers!

I recently worked on the IAAF World Championships at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium in London in the spectator services team. Our team consisted of hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers all dressed in pink! We did the information points and wayfinding outside the venue, so our team was the first faces you saw. So it was key to provide updated and accurate information to everyone whether it was gate opening times, closest toilets or last train from Stratford. It was also important (and easy!) to keep energy and enthusiasm levels high as we were the welcome party to the IAAF Championships! Even if people didn’t ask questions, we still welcomed them with a ’good morning’, ‘enjoy the athletics’ or a high five with the much sought after foam hands! When the crowds were thinning out as the athletics started we wouldn’t forget those arriving late and our team would create a tunnel for them to walk, run or skip through which the volunteers and crowds loved!

So in summary, I feel the key things to a great spectator experience is information and customer service! Information needs to be provided where possible and be consistent, so that everyone has correct accurate information from the start of their journey right through to the end. Whether it’s information they get with their tickets, what they see on the website and social media, or to road and pedestrian signage on the day, it all needs to be consistent from the very start.

With customer service, volunteers and staff need to be well informed and friendly/polite, remember they are representatives of the event and they are the ones that will be approached and provide spectators with a positive impact on the day. And the enthusiasm you get from a volunteer with a foam hand is bound to put a smile on anyone’s face!!

Cardiff, capital of Wales UK, attracted its largest number of people ever to the City to watch the UEFA Champions League Final. Over 200,000 people came from across the world to watch. An unprecedented change in local travel and effective spectator travel behaviour was required. Read about the integrated transport communications programme we led to deliver a 40% change in local travel behaviour.

Imagine the scene on Saturday 3 June 2017. A City with a population of just over 250,000 having to accommodate over 300,000 local, national and international guests within it’s 2 square mile centre to be part of the world’s most watched single sporting event – the UEFA Champions League Final - between two of the world’s largest football clubs Juventus and Real Madrid. The Principality Stadium (known as the National Stadium of Wales for the event) being the focal point for the excitement.

This City was too small too host such an event they said, this City’s transport system could not cope, they said, and perhaps not surprising. A city with a single already busy mainline railway station, a strategic road network with a known bottle-neck on its approach to the City and a central area with the largest extent of roads closed known in its history plus a modest sized international airport. A City with a chequered history of being able to host large scale events without some sort of road or train disruption. The law of physics says that it should not be possible for an event of this scale and nature to have happened without ensuing transport chaos.

The City was Cardiff and the outcome was better than anyone could have imagined – thanks in no small part to multi-agency planning that went on for many months and weeks in advance.

The event delivery partners - UEFA, Welsh Government, Football Association of Wales, City of Cardiff Council and South Wales Police - had significant concerns before the event about the ability of the City’s transport system to cope with the estimated demand (200,000 being the original estimate) and the potential reputational risk on the capacity for Wales’ capital City to host this and any future global spectacle. With over 200 million people expected to watch the 90 minutes of football it was paramount that sport and not transport hit the headlines.

Whilst investment was made in operational transport solutions including additional high-speed train services to and from London and additional park and ride/walk there remained doubt as to whether the City would cope and in particular whether the 3 hour queues for trains back to London during the Rugby World Cup 2015, or the 25 mile long motorway queues from recent pop concerts, would manifest themselves again.

Recognising that it would be impossible for sufficient additional transport capacity to be created for this demand, and with a little over 18 weeks remaining before this prestigious event, the organisers confirmed funding for a travel demand management programme designed to influence the travel behaviour of event goers and background demand (those in the area but not going to the event) aimed at spreading the demand for across the transport system. The objective being to encourage background demand to avoid potential disruption by travelling at alternative times, via alternative routes, using alternative modes and in some cases by not travelling at all. At the same time it was imperative that event goers understood their travel options and knew the best way to get there.

In the Round were commissioned to develop and then deliver the travel demand management programme for the Event and set about the task. With significant reliance on key stakeholders, in addition to the main partners, including Great Western Railway, Arriva Trains Wales, Cross Country Trains, National Express Coaches, Highways England, Cardiff and Bristol Airports, an integrated programme was then developed. This was done with the support of Steer Davies Gleave who developed a complementary Travel Guide App to aid journey planning and event going.

So, why the reasons for this success? Much was down to the collaborative environment created by our team with key delivery partners and other stakeholders and their willingness to embrace the principles of the programme and play their part in its delivery. A significant amount of the success was due to understanding where the pressure points on the transport system would come and ensuring the marketing and communications activities were geographically targeted to these areas. The success was also due to devising a creative marketing campaign and associated messaging that would resonate with background demand audience in such a way that it placed the importance of changing travel behaviours at the centre of their mind without detracting from the excitement and draw of the event. Finally, the early engagement with the communications teams of the finalist clubs was critical in ensuring that their fans received travel advice and information in a way that would be most well received. The joint working right through to co-located transport communications hub across all main agencies ensured a robust approach right through to and beyond the final whistle.

Plenty was learnt along the way too. Even earlier engagement with the Clubs and others responsible for communicating to the visiting fans would be important, ensuring a consistent spectator experience from mapping received to pedestrian and road way-finding could have been improved, a consistent approach to translation to ensure all advice and information was available in the mother tongue of Club finalists would have been good, as would an even more robust approach to working with the business community across the area to enable them to prepare for the very different operating models that some were faced with.

In legacy terms it is perhaps disappointing the journey planning App created for the event could not have been commissioned in such a way that it could live on, similarly the creative campaign created for the event could have been commissioned in such a way that it could be used for all future events in the City (or at least at the Stadium) and the social media following created for the event could not be more actively captured and worked with post event.

Operationally, greater care could be paid to ensuring local walking and cycling routes and information were maintained and enhanced as much as possible and much closer attention paid to ensuring the wayfinding for pedestrians in particular was much more consistent across the City for spectators.

All in all though with an unprecedented change in travel behaviour of the local community of about 40%, In the Round is proud to have worked alongside its client group to be part of delivering the biggest, busiest event that Cardiff has ever seen. With many trains running at capacity throughout the day, with waiting times at stations well below the target 90 minutes maximum and with traffic levels estimated to be 20% lower than a normal Saturday there is no doubt that the transport marketing communications programme developed by us and delivered in partnership with all agencies had a major influence on ensuring that the 300,000 people in the City that day used transport in the way that worked for everyone.

When taking into account how all aspects of the planning for the event went, from volunteering, to security, to accommodation, to the match itself we hope that the success of the Event will go a long way to ensuring that this fine City (yes I am a Welshman!) has done nothing but enhanced it’s chances of hosting other prestigious Events in the future.

The world around the corner is an exciting one. i-Mobility is an advance that excites me hugely. We will soon be able to influence travel behaviours instantly as all facets of our lives become connected with one another. Let's grasp the opportunity and develop clear approaches to maximise the potential presented by the advent of The Internet of Things.

A world where everything is connected to everything.

A pedestrian crossing light will turn green as we approach to cross (phone in pocket), the train or bus will wait a few seconds as it knows we are just around the corner (phone in pocket), the car door will stay locked (as our weighing scales has told it we should walk that regular short journey), the car will tell us to pull in to the next service area for a drink to avoid the traffic up ahead without delaying our journey (as phone congested detected), the car radio will play an advert advising only me to think twice before repeatedly driving the 2 mile journey to work instead of walking (as the car has told the media planning agencies my travel habits), our computer at work telling us that we might as well work for an extra 30 mins (as our usual train has told our computer that it's running behind schedule). And all of this without us having to touch a button.

This will or could all become true in the not too distant future. But who is doing all the thinking to ensure that the connected towns and cities of today embrace the Internet of Things in a comprehensive and strategic way. What potential the Internet of Things to really encourage more intelligent travel behaviour which benefits our health, the environment in which we live and the economy which we rely on.

It's a debate that is starting to fascinate me and while i-Mobility is increasingly being talked about what practical steps are being taken to apply things to the planning of towns and cities across the Globe?

Get in touch if it's an area you wish to discuss more.