COP 26

Following the successful delivery of the G7 Summit in Cornwall during the summer of 2021, KB Event’s Stuart McPherson was appointed COP26 Transport Manager on behalf of event agency, Identity Group.

Having worked on equally sensitive government events such as The Papal Visit and G20, Stuart understood the extra challenges of delivering not only a time sensitive, but a highly secure, event. In addition to the complexities of the event’s precise load in schedules, its high-profile nature meant that every load arriving in Glasgow would have to be security checked before being allowed to enter the build site. This would require the erection of a dedicated RVS (remote vehicle search) site within close proximity to the event’s access areas, so that cleared vehicles could be escorted immediately to site without coming into contact with members of the public.

The area of Glasgow that hosted COP26 provided little additional space, with any clear areas on the perimeter of the existing venues already been allocated to the large temporary structures that gave the event its required capacity.

After attending site and reviewing the surrounding area, KB’s H.O.D’s immediately ear-marked an area to the North of the venue and set about renting the land and developing the site so that it was fit for RVS purpose. They then began procuring structures to facilitate the vehicle search requirements, provide site offices for KB’s 26-strong on-site Management Team and the local police (who would be carrying out the vehicle searches), and two large temporary buildings to act as holding warehouses. Whilst work on the land continued in Glasgow, back at KB’s head office in Nottingham, Stuart began his conversations with the FCDO and the Glasgow Police on the operation of RVS. Understanding the complexity of the build and the demands of the successful delivery of the event’s timescales, Stuart’s production team set about compiling the Master Delivery Schedules for the 1200 deliveries due to arrive on site; liaising with the event’s extensive suppliers, drawing up CAD plans and modes of delivery to site, and getting KB’s fleet ready for the task in hand.

KB Event introduced non-palm oil HVO Bio-fuel to its client base in 2019. Having gained an environmental standard in 2006, the Company has remained committed to seeking the most sustainable ways to operate. Identity had already bought into the diesel alternative for 2021’s G7 meeting, and due to the nature of the  event, running KB’s fleet on HVO Bio-fuel on COP26 was a natural fit. In addition to the environmentally friendly fuel choice however, the KB Event Team also paid close attention to the project’s scheduling and vehicle utilisation, ensuring sustainable routing and vehicle recycling in order to eradicate dead running and mileage. Stuart has always maintained that involving KB in the early stages of an event, particularly its scheduling, cuts dead mileage and, subsequently cost. Although the decision to use HVO Bio-fuel on a project of COP’s size affects budget, the holistic approach to the load in and load out schedules that a dedicated transport team take act as a huge counter to these increases.

Stuart and his senior management team arrived on site in Glasgow in September, with further members of the team arriving prior to the first loads. With The RVS site fully ready, Stuart & his team turned their full attention to updating and managing the ever changing and growing schedules and budgets, and to ensuring that each vehicle arriving on site was given clear instructions on when it was due to arrive, and how it would be processed, prior to load in, in addition to ensuring each driver was security cleared and accredited well in advance. The KB team also consisted of two dedicated runners complete with electric vans, who would work tirelessly during the run-up to the event.

As the event load in began, the 26 person strong team was divided between the RVS site and the various access points around the venue, each responsible for a specific area and the loads allocated to that area. Every dawn meeting covered the vehicles expected that day, and their allocated time slot, as well as any emergency deliveries and schedule changes. As soon as a vehicle was cleared at the RVS, its specific receiver would be radioed to expect its arrival. The KB team quickly bedded down into their specific tasks on site and the clockwork of the KB’s transport solution ran perfectly.

Back at KB’s head office, constant communication between the Nottingham Operations team and Stuart’s on site team meant that KB’s fleet were at the forefront of fulfilling the event’s challenging schedule, with the RVS site and the motorways to Glasgow awash with Blue.

In spite of the Scottish weather’s best attempts to challenge the event’s tight schedules, the industry triumph of COP 26 was delivered as promised. KB’s involvement in such a superb fete of Event Production is one of which we are very proud and which we describe as an amazing and tireless team effort, showcasing us all at our professional best.