Getting patrons safely in and out of your event site is part of good event management. Here are our Top 5 tips for your traffic planning checklist.
1.Where will your patrons be parking?
If there is no public carpark nearby, then it’s either going to be on the street or in grounds adjacent to the event. If you are using a big unmarked field or space is limited, you may want to consider parking attendants. The benefits include maximising parking spaces by controlling parking and keeping lines neat, as well as keeping traffic flowing. Patrons generally appreciate knowing someone is in charge and it’s not ‘every man for himself’, especially those seeking direction to the VIP area and disabled parking
If your parking attendants are not going on a road, there is no requirement for special licenses so you can use volunteers or experienced professionals. Just make sure you have PPE provided and your insurance in order!
2. Is there enough parking for everyone?
We work on an average 2.5 people per car, so it’s relatively easy to work out how many vehicles you will be dealing with if you know event numbers. If even with parking attendants squeezing cars in, you expect a shortage of spaces, consider offering a shuttle bus service.
3. How will pedestrians and traffic interact?
It’s one thing to find a carpark, it’s another thing to deal with pedestrians spilling out in all directions, especially at the end of an event when everyone is exiting at the same time. Having a plan to separate pedestrians from moving traffic is an essential part of your risk management strategy. Options include creating designated walkways, makeshift pedestrian crossings and installing safety barriers.
You may also consider creating single direction traffic flow and restricting right turns to help the traffic keep flowing. Within a field or private carpark, you generally have freedom to set up traffic controls as you like. However, as soon as those cars enter or exit a public road, it’s a different story.
4. Do you need a Traffic Management plan?
If your event will impact on roads near to the event site, either in volume of cars causing traffic jams, pedestrians out on the road or parked cars causing hazards, Council may require you to have a Traffic Management plan and approvals.
Options out on the road include lane closures, detours, temporary pedestrian crossings and speed reductions. The priority is public safety. You can not put signage, cones or bollards onto roads without an approved plan and any Traffic Controller on the road must be licensed.
5.How are you managing your drop zone/bus stop/Uber pick up?
At the end of the event, particularly if there is alcohol involved, having a plan to seamlessly get shuttle buses and private pick up drivers in and out smoothly is highly recommended. This should be a designated area that can be easily entered and exited without the need for U Turns or reversing. Good signage and directional aids will help. If it’s a public road, you will need licensed Traffic Controllers in appropriate PPE to manage this.
Total Event Solutions has been providing logistics support to outdoor festival and event organisers since 2007. We have a team of experienced parking attendants and qualified traffic controllers, as well as signage and safety equipment. Feel free to contact us if you have an event in Melbourne’s South Eastern Suburbs and are in need of a Traffic Management Plan.