Martyn's Law and how we are supporting it's adoption
With Martyn’s Law (The Terrorism (Protection of Premises)Bill) getting closer to becoming law in the United Kingdom (UK), the need for comprehensive planning against terrorist incidents in public venues is becoming increasingly critical. Whilst such events remain unlikely, their potential impact on lives, businesses, and communities can be devastating. The legislation will require all publicly accessible locations, from stadiums and transport hubs to schools and places of worship, to implement measures that reduce the risks associated with terrorist attacks.
To support venue owners and operators address these challenges, our team has developed ground-breaking new capabilities to model terrorist-attack scenarios and assess their impact on crowds, including members of the public and staff. This year-long research project was funded by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) within the UK Government, recognising the urgent need for more effective training and response planning.
The team extensively reviewed more than 50 academic papers to build an evidence-based framework to underpin the model. Working with software developers Thunderhead Engineering to implement the required functionality, we used Pathfinder (a leading pedestrian simulation tool) to model public responses and staff interventions for two types of terrorist attacks in a stadium setting. The same process can be used to simulate attack scenarios across a variety of sites and the realistic 3D outputs can be used by stakeholders to observe and refine response strategies in an environment that closely mirrors real-world conditions.
This work extends beyond simulations — Movement Strategies has also developed a fully immersive control room training environment, designed to help security teams to practise under realistic conditions. The platform incorporates CCTV displays showing high-quality visuals from the simulations, live communication systems, and interactive decision-making exercises that influence the scenario playing out on CCTV. The goal of training operators with this immersive set up is to enhance command-and-control procedures, teamwork, and coordination with emergency services. Active training in this environment has been shown to be more effective than traditional tabletop exercises and this solution offers a practical, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to live drills.
The significance of this work has been recognised at the industry level, with Movement Strategies being shortlisted for two prestigious awards: Innovative Security Project at the British Security Awards (July 3, 2024) and Security Innovation of the Year at the Fire and Security Matters Awards (June 13, 2024).
By developing this evidence-based, highly adaptable tool, Movement Strategies is enabling venues to test and iterate response plans so that operators are better prepared to manage incidents effectively. With Martyn’s Law on the horizon, these advancements provide an auditable and practical solution for testing and exercising procedures, equipping venue operators with the training they need to protect their visitors, staff, and communities.