Key facts:
- Over 56,000 runners and 800,000+ spectators
- Central London route with multiple high-footfall locations
- 241 H-Stops® used for protection across the weekend:
- 29 locations (main event – Sunday)
- 2 locations (mini marathon – Saturday)
- Over 460+ metres of protection
- Multi-agency collaboration with organisers, police and local authorities
The Challenge
Delivering protection for a large-scale running event in central London presents a complex and high-profile risk environment.
The event spans a mixed footprint, with controlled areas such as start and finish zones, alongside extensive open-access public route sections. This creates varying levels of vulnerability, particularly where large crowds gather at predictable times and locations.
Under emerging Martyn’s Law guidance, areas with 800+ attendees and access control may align with Enhanced Tier considerations, while the wider open route remains outside formal scope. This reinforces the need for reasonable, proportionate measures, based on risk rather than blanket deployment.
Key challenges included:
- Managing vehicle risk across a long, open route
- Protecting high-density congregation areas
- Supporting emergency access and operational flexibility
- Ensuring measures remained practical, scalable, and non-intrusive
The Solution
Crowdguard delivered a risk-led HVM approach, working in partnership with event organisers, Counter Terrorism Policing and key stakeholders.
Assessments identified where targeted mitigation would add value, ensuring alignment with the principle of proportionate, reasonable measures.
Across all locations, Husson H-Stop® barriers were deployed, with 230 H-Stop® barriers in 29 locations for the main event on Sunday, and 11 barriers in 2 locations on Saturday for a smaller running event.
As an ISO 22343-1 impact-rated, surface-mounted system, H-Stop® offers a practical balance of protection and operational flexibility.
This deployment enabled:
- Rapid installation and removal aligned to event timings
- High levels of pedestrian permeability
- Flexible authorised vehicle access when required
This approach reflects best practice, where HVM is based on proportionate measures aligned to the level of risk, rather than a uniform or blanket deployment.
By assessing different areas of the event individually, the strategy ensures that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not used and that mitigation is appropriate to the specific vulnerabilities, crowd dynamics, and operational needs at each location.
Planning a Running Event?
If you’re planning a running event or community event and unsure where to begin with HVM, our new HVM Triage Tool provides a clear, practical starting point – a quick, AI-assisted questionnaire that helps you understand your potential exposure to vehicle-related risk before progressing to formal risk assessments. Find out more here.