IT'S A race for the finishing line for local company, Dawleys, as they prepare themselves for a crucial role with the London 2012 Olympics.

The monumental challenge of keeping London moving during the Olympic games – getting athletes, officials and spectators to their venues on time, and businesses operational – has been at the forefront of planners' minds since the capital was awarded the event in 2007. And Dawleys will play a significant role in doing just that. Currently the company does all the data capture for the Oyster Card (a plastic smartcard used on the London transport network instead of paper tickets) for one of its largest clients, Transport for London. Dawleys' Olympic involvement is 'piggybacking' on the back of this existing role.

In preparation for the biggest event in decades, Dawleys has taken part in trials with their client. During the event itself, Dawleys will be operational for 24 hours a day to 'keep London moving.'

"If you apply for an Oyster Card," said Dawleys' Managing Director Roger Parckar, "or if you change details on your card in any way then that information comes to us here. Those people in there," he points to a room next door, "are capturing millions of items of information from individual Oyster Cards.

"They don't use if from a marketing point of view at all," said Roger. "This is just for information services. For example, if you use your Oyster Card to go to through a particular station on a particular line and you've asked to be kept up to date about any changes or interruptions, Transport for London – through Dawleys – will let you know, on a daily basis, that there is a problem." During the Olympics this is likely to be on an hourly basis to ensure the capital keeps 'moving'.

"Transport for London tell us what information they are going to send out to card holders and we compile an email for them and that goes out at given times." Incredibly, from this quiet hub in Ross, Dawleys sends out between three and four million emails a month, just for Transport for London.

Any free tickets then? "No! But it's terrific to be involved," said Roger. It's probably the biggest event that's happened in this country in the last ten years and it's great to be a fairly significant part of that. What we're involved in is trying to make sure people can get to the venues and the events, which is key to keeping London moving. And that's all taking place in Ross."