DARe shares key findings from Great North Run 2023 case study

The Great North Run, the world’s largest half-marathon, attracts around 60,000 participants annually. In 2023, the event coincided with what the Met Office described as a period of extreme weather. A heatwave followed by heavy rainfall led to flash flooding, road closures, power outages, and widespread disruption, creating significant challenges for participants and spectators. 

As a rare ‘once in ten years’ occurrence, the event provided a valuable case study for examining the resilience of transport systems under increasingly fluctuating climate conditions. In July,  the DARe Hub hosted a roundtable with representatives from Nexus, Tyne and Wear Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC), the North East Combined Authority (NECA), and members of the City Councils of Newcastle, Gateshead, and South Tyneside, to present the case study findings. Led by Dr Kristina Wolf (DARe Research Associate, Newcastle University), the team shared findings that highlight how extreme weather can impact mass participation events, and invited feedback from the roundtable participants to help inform the next stages of research. 

The DARe GNR 2023 case study included a survey of 319 runners who took part in the race, revealing insights into the experiences of participants who were affected by the extreme weather. Of those surveyed, 54% reported being unaware of the yellow weather warning issued by the Met Office on the day of the event. Interestingly, among those who were aware, many felt that the warning did not adequately prepare them for the disruption to their travel plans after the race. 

Dr Kristina Wolf explained: “As someone passionate about emergency response and resilience management, I was very pleased by the strong community engagement to our runners’ survey, and the shared commitment among stakeholders to building local resilience. 

Hosting this meeting enabled us to bring together regional partners to present key findings and practical ideas for managing future mass participation events. Our discussion highlighted the crucial role of real-time information, effective communication, local awareness, and multi-agency collaboration when responding to incidents in a changing climate.“

As climate change brings more frequent and intense weather events, the research raises an important question: are our transport systems ready to adapt, or resilient enough to withstand impacts during periods of increased demand? DARe’s work highlights the importance of collaboration between researchers, local authorities, and transport providers, to reflect on the challenges and share learning.  

This meeting sparked meaningful conversations and offered the opportunity for local stakeholders to share their perspectives. Attendees expressed that the findings shared at the meeting will help to inform future event planning, resilience strategies, and contribute to the broader understanding of transport infrastructure readiness.

Tobyn Hughes, Director of Transport at NECA said:

“The Great North Run is always an exciting event for the North East, and it is the busiest day of the year on our transport network. The GNR 2023 saw both extreme heat and localised severe flash-flooding in the region, which brought the road and Metro networks to a temporary stand-still and caused delay and discomfort to thousands of runners and spectators.

As part of DARe’s work on adapting to climate change, researchers analysed the events on the day and interviewed people who were caught up in the disruption. The results were then discussed with the operational teams involved. The discussion was fascinating and insightful and will contribute towards preparation and planning for future mass participation events in the region that rely on public transport.”

The research findings report will be published and shared with stakeholders soon.

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