Ground Report

Tracking and data technology on police cars, motorcycles, and vans helped lead, surround, and follow riders, direct traffic, and keep spectators safe           

London/Yorkshire, United Kingdom – 26 May 2016 – Last month, the West Yorkshire Police and global technology company, Dimension Data, joined forces to provide a safe, interactive experience for the riders, and the one million spectators along the 515km route of Tour de Yorkshire (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZQKrcTHbuc).

The West Yorkshire Police and several other UK Police Forces leveraged the same tracking and data analytics technology that Dimension Data deployed for the riders in last year’s Tour de France on their police cars, motorcycles, and vans to help lead, surround, and follow the riders, as well as direct the traffic as the riders cycled past at high speed. This involves coordinating vehicles from multiple Police Forces with minimal infrastructure or setup.

Each police vehicle was provided with a Dimension Data tracking device. The positioning data generated by the phones was relayed via the local cell phone network to Dimension Data’s cloud, where it was collated and analysed. This information was displayed in the form of a route map hosted on the Tour de Yorkshire live-tracking website that shows the type of police vehicle and its exact location along the route – all in real-time.

Mark Milsom, Assistant Chief Constable – of West Yorkshire Police explains: “What makes a major cycling event challenging to manage is the logistics associated with the route, the spectators, and the general public. We’re pleased to confirm that there were no incidents.

“Our police teams along the route were able to keep in touch with their colleague’s driving vehicles, and when a peloton approached an area, cleared the way to ensure that spectators were in a safe place to watch their favourite riders pass by unobstructed.” explains Milsom.

Adam Foster, Dimension Data’s Group Executive, Sports Practice explains: “The instant visibility that the technology provides helps to make an event such as the Tour de Yorkshire safer and more interactive for everyone involved. It’s all about providing the right support, at the right place, at the right time.”

Read more on the Dimension Data blog: http://blog.dimensiondata.com/2016/04/tour-de-yorkshire-police-tracking-solution/?utm_source=Referral&utm_medium=PR&utm_campaign=TDF2016&utm_content=TDYpoliceblog