MD3489 Host City transport and mobility contract

1.1.    The GLA’s Major Sports Events (MSE) team has worked with transport and mobility specialists periodically over the last seven years, to develop mobility concepts that support project delivery. Such projects include: 
•    the UEFA EUROs 2020 (held in 2021)
•    the UEFA Women’s EUROs 2022
•    the UEFA Champions League Final in June 2024 
•    the upcoming EUROs 2028. 

Many of the agreements the GLA enters into with sporting bodies contain a contractual obligation to provide a transport strategy and mobility planning, for the event to run smoothly. 

1.2.    Each time the GLA has contracted a supplier, the TfL procurement process (via open tender or a call-off from a framework) has typically taken three to six months for each piece of work required. The MSE team’s work in this area has been consistent and increasing. As such, in 2023 the team identified a business need to enter a longer-term agreement with a single provider. This better streamlines the process; and allows the team to secure efficiencies, build partnerships and knowledge, and activate the services quickly to support the effort to bid for, and host, major sports events. 

1.3.    In addition to the owned portfolio of events, there is a consistent and growing need for detailed planning and demand modelling for other events in London (both scheduled and prospective). Having access to mobility-planning services allows for the smooth running of the capital, and limited impact on business-as-usual operations. 

1.4.    The anticipated services required include: 
•    demand modelling
•    assessment of the event owner’s or the venue’s plans
•    contribution to event bids
•    planning services. 

1.5.    Between 2023 and 2026, the MSE team contracted Steer as its mobility specialist. Steer provided expert mobility insight for bids for events such as: 
•    the NBA London Game 2026
•    the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift 2027
•    the World Athletics Championships 2029.

Steer helped support MSE’s strategic objective to build London’s future pipeline of major sporting events. Steer also led on strategic projects with TfL and local authorities across London, to resolve transport-planning challenges faced by local authorities and major-events venues in the capital. 

1.6.    The 2023-26 mobility contract also supported mobility feasibility studies for major events managed by the host city and events team. Clearly, the contract offered benefits not only to the MSE team, but also to wider External Relations teams, when faced with mobility-event challenges for London. 

Budgetary proposal
1.7.    At budget-setting time, the team earmarked funds from the MSE programme budget to cover a contract for 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29. The GLA will complete a competitive tender process using the Events Framework in conjunction with TfL Procurement.

1.8.    The amount to be spent under the contract depends on the major events secured, and therefore the scale of services required. The funding profile for the maximum amount is as follows: 
 

Expected outputs
1.9.    Once the supplier has been appointed, the GLA can provide expert transport strategy and mobility concepts to the sporting bodies we work with regularly. This work can be done in line with project timescales more efficiently. This shows the GLA’s ability to plan and mobilise nationally important events internally, and at short notice. 

1.10.    Expected outputs from this appointment include the following:
•    event-management plans
•    traffic-management and road-closure plans
•    barrier plans
•    infrastructure itineraries including barriers; toilets; stage and audio/visual elements; and event-related signage
•    safety and security plans
•    crowd-management plans
•    health and safety plans
•    risk assessments
•    CAD drawings 
•    parade-route planning.
 

2.1.    The objective of this work is to appoint a suitable service provider, with the relevant expert knowledge and experience to provide the GLA with specialised mobility and transport strategies and plans. This will be on a targeted basis, over the next three financial years.

2.2.    The scope and objectives of supporting this bid align with the Delivery Plan for the Boosting London’s Growth Sectors programme (MD3430). This will be achieved via the following:
•    Enabling London to meet host city obligations for major global events:
o    expert transport strategy, demand modelling, traffic-management plans, safety plans and CAD drawings enable London to deliver effectively on host city obligations and bids
o    the ability to activate mobility planning rapidly, without lengthy procurement delays, allows us to meet rapid timelines in an increasingly competitive global event-bidding ecosystem.
•    Strengthening London’s pipeline of major events to 2030 and beyond:
o    supporting bid development through feasibility studies and mobility assessments (e.g., NBA London Game 2026, Tour de France Femmes 2027, World Athletics Championships 2029) 
o    giving event owners confidence that London can manage large‑scale crowd movement and transport complexity
o    enabling the GLA to respond quickly and credibly during bid processes – a key competitive advantage when competing for global events.
•    Sustaining London’s global reputation as a world leading host city:
o    ensuring transport for all major events is safe, efficient and well managed, with expert advice based on previous national and international experience
o    ensuring mobility strategies minimise disruptions to Londoners and businesses
o    ensuring mobility plans allow a seamless experience for spectators, broadcasters, teams and international delegates 
o    having expertise on hand to resolve transport challenges, either strategically or operationally, as and when they arise for major events.

2.3.    GLA support for this contract will facilitate the MSE team’s work. It will directly support work that delivers on London’s priorities in the MSE Strategic Framework. By receiving expert mobility knowledge through this contract, the MSE team can: 
•    develop an exciting pipeline of future sporting events, boosting London’s economy and reach  
•    raise London’s profile of as a destination for tourism and business, via international and domestic broadcast and press coverage  
•    support the development of skills for specific identified groups, and offer long-term benefits to London and Londoners 
•    support London’s sustainability ambitions, and ensure positive impact of events in the capital 
•    engage Londoners through interventions including community schemes, volunteering opportunities and coaching programmes 
•    support London as a host of men’s, women’s and disability sports events. 
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor and the GLA are subject to the public sector equality duty and must have due regard to the need to: 
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not 
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. 

3.2.    The “protected characteristics” are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage/civil partnership status. The duty involves having appropriate regard to these matters as they apply in the circumstances, including having regard to the need to: 
•    remove or minimise any disadvantage suffered by those who share or are connected to a protected characteristic
•    take steps to meet the different needs of such people
•    encourage them to participate in public life or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low. 
This can involve treating people with a protected characteristic more favourably than those without one.

3.3.    At this stage, no equality issues have been identified with this decision. However, this will be kept under review; and we will work with TfL to ensure a comprehensive and fair procurement exercise is undertaken. Any strategies or plans produced by the provider will consider equalities issues.
 

Risks and issues 
4.1.    The risks and mitigations are outlined in the table below: 
 

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities 
4.2.    GLA support for major events will:
•    support the Mayor’s Delivery Plan objectives for the Boosting London’s Growth Sectors programme (MD3430), as outlined in paragraph 2.2, above
•    support delivery of the GLA’s major sports events framework, London: Home of World Class Sport
•    increase economic investment into London
•    support delivery of the Mayor’s sports strategy, Sport Unites
•    increase international exposure for London as a major destination for world-class sport and tourism, particularly in Europe.

Conflicts of interest
4.3.    There are no conflicts of interest to declare for those involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form.
 

5.1.    Approval is sought to spend up to £100,000, for each of 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 (up to £300,000 for all three years). This is to procure a transport and mobility specialist to work with the MSE team.

5.2.    This will be funded from the MSE Programme Budget, held within the Strategy & Communications Directorate, for each of the three years. It should be noted that future years’ budget provision will remain subject to the approval of the annual budget-setting process for each year. In the event that budget pressures emerge, limiting the GLA’s resources, the proposed contract mitigation will include standard break clauses that would allow for a reduction in the contract usage and/or a full termination, as required. 

5.3.    Any changes to this proposal will be subject to further approval via the GLA’s decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made. 
 

Legal powers
6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the Mayor concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers; and fall within the GLA’s statutory power to do such things considered to further, or that are facilitative of, or conducive or incidental to, the promotion of economic development and wealth creation and social development in Greater London. In formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the UK
•    consult with appropriate bodies. 

6.2.    In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely, the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.

Procurement
6.3.    The decision seeks approval for expenditure of £300,000 for the procurement of transport and mobility advisory services. Officers are reminded to comply with the requirements of the Contracts and Funding Code, when they procure the services in advancement of the MSE programme. Furthermore, as part of the procurement process, officers are reminded to put in place an appropriate contract between the GLA and the chosen service provider.
 

7.1.    This work will be delivered according to the following timetable:

None.