The Cardiff Half Marathon, (approx. 27,500 runners) is organised by Run 4 Wales. In 2023, after assessing different areas of travel-related emissions, they identified public transport as the segment where they could have the most influence. While other travel-related impacts will be addressed in future efforts, increasing public transport use became their immediate priority.
Through data collection, Run 4 Wales discovered that many runners were not using public transport due to limited availability. In response, they collaborated with Transport for Wales (TfW) to request additional train services on the morning of the race, making it easier for participants to travel sustainably.
With 50% of runners coming from Wales and 25% from Cardiff, the enhanced train services helped accommodate more participants traveling by rail. As a result, Run 4 Wales saw train travel increase from 5.9% to 16.3%.
The team have implemented various other initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their events, including:
- Partnering with Cardiff University to explore innovative methods for data collection, related to transportation or sustainable travel trends.
- Implemented discount bike hire with local hire provider NextBike.
- Tripled the size of their bike park to accommodate increasing number of cyclists attending the event.
- Launched targeted communication campaigns aimed at promoting active travel options such as walking, cycling, and public transport to reduce carbon emissions and improve health.
- Promoted Park and walk to encourage participants and spectators to car share for a greener commute.
- Free bus and coach spaces also provided at our park and walk, to help large running groups to use public transport efficiently and encourage sustainable travel.
This case study is part of the Green Travel and Transport Guide for Festivals and Events 2025 (coming soon)