The Word On The Street – West Bromwich Albion FC

For this Word on the street interview we spoke to Howard Lewis Jones, Head of Matchday Operations, Security and Facilities and Gary Wallis, Matchday Operations Manager, at West Bromwich Albion FC. They were joined by Derek Vinning, Traffix Operations Director.

 

Could you describe the scale of your match day operation?

HL-J “On a regular matchday we’ll have 20,000 plus people turning up here, anything up to around 30 times a year. People make their way by rail, the tram network, bus routes and by car. It is a major challenge for us.

“The scale of the operation around traffic management is probably more significant here than at other football clubs. There’s over a thousand members of staff as well, which includes 300 stewards. Our job is to make sure that everyone is kept safe, the traffic plan is a major part of that.

 

What’s the most challenging aspect of running match days for you?

H L-J “I would have to say it’s the close proximity to junction 1 of the M5, which is only 400 meters away. We’re also literally feet away from the A 41, which is a four-lane arterial route into Birmingham.

“Because we haven’t got any large car parks in the immediate vicinity, a significant number of people make their way to the stadium on foot. As a result, you are going to inconvenience motorists by managing the traffic flow, in order to keep everyone safe”

GW “I absolutely agree with Howard. The road network is challenging, certainly the build-up of traffic from the M5 can make it difficult for people to get here. These delays create their own problems for everyone concerned. However, this is managed really well, the traffic management that Traffix provides is second to none.”

 

How did you first find out about Traffix?

HL-J “My first involvement with Traffix goes back to when I looked after the Football Unit for West Midlands Police, which would’ve been between 2008 to 2012. Vinnie was responsible for producing the traffic management plan for Aston Villa and Birmingham City. I had further involvement with Traffix during the Commonwealth Games and other events in and around Birmingham.

“We built a relationship through these events. The feedback I received from event organisers was that the traffic management was in safe hands with Traffix. That was really important for me as a police officer.”

GW “I first remember meeting Vinnie during a public safety meeting before a game between Aston Villa and Birmingham City. On the matchday, we had an excellent plan in place. However, there was an issue pre the road closures. What impressed me about Traffix was the calmness and flexibility in how they adapted to the situation. The outcome wouldn’t have happened without Traffix.”

DV “If I can just add, which I think this is key before every matchday. I’m invited to the stadium to run through the plan. The attention to detail from Howard and Gary is second to none, they leave no stone unturned. Due to the position of the stadium, our drawings must be shared with both Sandwell and Birmingham local authorities. It’s a very fine balance, to accommodate the requirements of two authorities, when normally for football matches, we only have to work with one.”

H L-J “I’d like to further add the challenge is dealing with two contrasting local authorities and getting them to talk to each other. We often call Vinnie and ask him to find out what is happening with our plans. He always manages to get to the root of any delay, which makes our life so much easier.”

 

What was behind the decision from West Bromwich Albion to work with Traffix?

H L-J “Traffix were already working with the club when I arrived here. I have my predecessor to thank for that. Gary joined a couple of months after me. One of the first things we did was a wholesale review of every contract that was in place.

“It didn’t take us long to realise that we were getting excellent value for money on the traffic management side of things. As I’ve said before, Traffix take a lot of the risks away from us on a match day. We know we’re in safe hands and we can concentrate on other moving parts closer to the stadium. We’re delighted to have Traffix on board.”

 

What do you look for in an external partner?

H L-J “Building a relationship is probably the most important thing. If you’ve got a good relationship, people will go that extra mile to get things done. Our relationship with Traffix spans an entire team of people, however our principal contact is Vinnie. If we have an urgent requirement or need advice, Vinnie is always on the other end of a phone.”

GW “I think we should also mention the time saved on calls to Birmingham City Council. It could take us hours to speak to the right person, let alone get something done. Because of his relationships with Birmingham and other local authorities, Vinnie gets things done, it’s fabulous for us to be able to tap into his valuable network.”

DV added:” Wherever I am in the world, I’ll always have my Traffix phone with me. The guys at West Brom and our other clients know that they can always reach me. If I can’t answer straightaway, I’ll get back to them as soon as possible. We keep touching on it, but it really is all about relationships. You’re building trust and indeed friendships.”

 

Is there any particular element of the service that Traffix provides which stands out?

GW “A deep understanding of what’s needed not only for the road network, but for the reputation of our football club. A good example of this would be the revised road closure on the Birmingham Road heading towards the M5. We were having issues with this closure and contacted Traffix. They understood the problem straightaway and provided a swift solution.

“I mention this because the actions taken were commended in a Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) inspection. The SGSA were not only inspecting us, but both local authorities too. The fact that it was mentioned in the report is testament to our working relationship.”

H L-J “I think it’s important to point out that we don’t have to worry if something changes. The same Traffix team are here week in, week out and that’s vital for us. Maintaining consistency, being able to react and also being proactive with ideas, it all hinges on what we’ve already said, our relationship.”

DV “We always refer to Traffix as a family. West Bromwich Albion are an extension to our family. Our matchday crew enjoys a fantastic relationship with the supporters. In some cases, they are on first name terms and our guys are topped up with cups of coffee and sandwiches. It’s very special to us, we’re very grateful to the community for their kindness and understanding.”

 

Would you say that traffic’s go beyond your expectations?

H L-J “The answer is yes. I’ll draw on another couple of examples: first off, if we’re running a tabletop exercise, Traffix always lend their support. Additionally, Traffix’s staff are trained to the same advanced medical standards as our matchday stewards. If anything were to happen, if we needed to, we can draw upon their expertise. This is a big thing for us.”

GW “I would like to add that Traffix’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant is a contributing factor here. I’m ex-military, the skill set that Traffix bring to matchdays is only possible because of their background. It’s more than just a service level, it’s a mindset.”

DV “ Training our team and Installing bleed kits and defibs in our vehicles is something we’re proud to have introduced. During the build-up to a match and after full time, our operatives are at their busiest. We put a card in the vehicle windscreen with the operative’s number on should anyone need assistance. It’s small details like this that can make a big difference.

“I must also pay tribute to the West Midlands emergency services. Their professionalism and dedication both pre and during an event is second to none. It’s a privilege to work alongside them.”

 

Do you ever receive feedback about Traffix from either event participants, spectators, other bodies?

H L-J “Going back to the SGSA inspection mentioned earlier. The inspector, who attended our match against Leicester City gave us the most glowing of reports. We strive for continuous improvement here, Traffix are integral to this, any positive feedback reflects on them as well as us.

 

Are you planning for any future challenges? 

H L-J “The introduction of ‘Martyn’s Law’ will impact our traffic plan. Should we go to a ‘Severe’ or ‘Critical’ terror threat, there’s every chance we will consider closing the road from the motorway. This changes the impact on both the motorway and the road networks around here. We’ll be liaising with the local authorities, Traffix will be heavily involved in those discussions.”

GW “Moving forwards our new owners see the club as being bigger than just football matches. They would like us to hold other events such as concerts. The differing levels of ingress at music events compared with football matches will bring a different set of challenges. As this will be totally new to us, it’s very useful that Traffix has experience of managing traffic and pedestrians during concerts at football grounds.”

DV summarised: “Traffix are well placed to meet the challenges that West Brom are planning for. It means a lot to me that the work we have put in both behind the scenes and during major events, has brought us to where we are now. Whilst you never know everything, I believe our expertise and experience is unrivalled in this sector.”