Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” made a significant impact this weekend at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, attracting nightly crowds of approximately 70,000 enthusiastic fans. With such large gatherings, ensuring the safety and security of attendees was a top priority. Crowdguard, in collaboration with The City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Rugby Union PLC, and Police Scotland, implemented a comprehensive Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) scheme to protect concertgoers and manage the massive crowd effectively.The objective was to provide a secure environment for the thousands of fans attending Taylor Swift’s concerts by deploying an extensive HVM scheme. This involved preventing unauthorised vehicle access and ensuring smooth ingress and egress while accommodating emergency services. The integration of innovative products and streamlined processes ensured the implementation of an effective counter-terrorism risk management plan
Key Highlights of the HVM Scheme:
Extensive Deployment:
- Total Coverage: 115 meters of rated equipment were strategically placed around 12 critical locations to enhance security.
- Purpose: These measures were designed to manage the flow of people safely, prevent hostile vehicle threats, and ensure authorised vehicle access when necessary.
Specialised Equipment and Configuration:
Highway Care Security #RB50 Arrays:
- Coverage: 32 meters.
- Locations: Installed at four critical points.
- Function: Provided access for authorised vehicles and emergency services while maintaining a secure perimeter.
ARX Security #ARXstopper:
- Coverage: 48 meters.
- Configuration: Installed at three locations using the IWA14 configuration and at two additional locations in the VADS configuration.
- Purpose: Enhanced security with versatile configurations to adapt to different threat scenarios.
ATG Access #SurfaceGuard:
- Coverage: 16 meters.
- Installation Speed: Rapid deployment (less than 15 minutes) at the main egress points.
- Function: Facilitated quick and safe exit for the high volume of foot traffic.
Husson International #HStop:
- Deployment: At three strategic locations.
- Configuration: tested in single 1.2m wide units allowed for flexibility in installation, permeability and rapid authorised vehicle access
- Purpose: Allowed immediate authorised vehicle access when required, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness in security management.
Planning and Execution: The event was meticulously planned and executed by collaborating with key stakeholders, including the stadium, local authority, Police Scotland, the traffic management provider, and Crowdguard as the HVM solutions provider. Each entity demonstrated expertise in their respective fields, leading to a collaborative and collective expertise in large-scale event security management. This ensured an effective event, contributing to the smooth and safe conduct of Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated concerts.
Conclusion: The successful implementation of the HVM scheme at Murrayfield Stadium during Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” highlights the importance of comprehensive security planning for large-scale events. Crowdguard’s strategic deployment of advanced HVM solutions, in partnership with local authorities and law enforcement, ensured the safety and security of approximately 70,000 attendees each night. This case study showcases the critical role of HVM in protecting public gatherings and the effectiveness of collaboration in achieving a secure event environment.