Importance of Traffic Management for Events

Aussies, traffic management is not an easy task to handle. To come up with a plan that serves the purpose of safety and security of the people requires thorough planning. During an event, traffic management becomes more important as there is a large crowd gathering. Event planners have to setup the stage and lots of heavy machinery gets involved in doing so.

Vehicles moving in and around, reversing and unloading the payload at the event site can create a risky environment. Someone can get injured or even die if there is slight negligence in traffic management. Thus, a traffic management course becomes necessary for the professionals who work in this field.

To understand the importance of traffic management in events, we will go through some of the points associated with such events.

1. Different Kinds of Events
   
   There are different kinds of events that gather a large volume of the crowd. Events, such as sporting events, fun runs, community events, school events, parades, fundraising, etc., are known as crowd magnets. Having a proper plan for controlling the traffic in such an event becomes more important. Any normal event traffic includes pedestrians, cars, bikes, buses, trucks, forklifts, cranes for moving heavy machinery, etc. For tackling such conditions, traffic control courses in Melbourne can help the traffic control personnel to make the event safe for everyone.
   
   
2. Getting Permission for Your Event
   You just can’t organise an event without getting permission for the same. Let’s say, you are organising an event in Victoria such as a charity cricket match or any community event. For that, you need to first refer to the Victoria Government's Events in Victoria handbook. This handbook provides all the compulsory guidelines to be followed to conduct an event and traffic planning in Melbourne. Now, you need to seek permission from the local council, landowners and Victoria government agencies to discuss your event plan and requirements.
   
   
3. Setting Up and Packing Down
   Any event involves a stage and other equipment and there are many phases involved. A normal event can be explained in three phases namely preparation, staging and dismantling. There is a high possibility of risk involved in conducting such phases. You have to mention all the risks and control measures in your traffic management plan. During preparation and dismantling, there is a high involvement of heavy machinery, and extra care should be taken during the same. Only the authorised personnel should be given permission to work and pedestrians should be prohibited from entering such parameters.
   
   
4. Managing Traffic
   As we discussed above, a traffic management plan helps to explain the measures to control and curb the risk during events. A traffic management plan consists of the event summary, contact details of the key personnel involved, traffic control plan, all the government approvals taken for the event, etc. You have to devise a plan which works in sync with police and road authorities. Hoarding describing the safety measures, pathway, parking, barriers, etc., needs to be placed around the event venue.
   
   
5. Alternative Traffic Routes
   To ensure the safety of all the people involved in the event, you have to make separate traffic routes for vehicles and pedestrians. A logical plan segregating normal pedestrians with vehicles and event management staff should be made. Traffic flow should be smooth for the general public and public transport facilities surrounding the event. Alternative traffic routes should be one-way; if possible, separate entry and exit points, space for emergency vehicle access, etc. Furthermore, signs pointing towards restricted parking, speed limit and route hazards should be posted.
   
   
6. Managing Parking
   Parking remains the biggest concern in any traffic management plan. If you are providing the onsite parking, then keep separate parking for workers and sponsors vehicles. It is advisable to keep the sponsors parking away from event work areas. Keep the walkway to parking away from vehicle routes. The path should be well marked with proper lighting. A team of proper personnel should be appointed to assist people.

Devising a plan for traffic management for events is challenging. As mentioned above, you have to cover many aspects of a successful event. Also, for traffic management, you can seek the help of experts who specialises in traffic management courses.