TravelSmart Special Events Planning Resource Kit

11 - Checklist

This is a sample checklist that you can use to assess your event and to identify opportunities to support the use of sustainable travel. Some of the information here won't be applicable to your event, so feel free to skip the parts that don't apply.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Have you checked to see what planning conditions or process will apply to your event?
• Have you established a steering committee? Remember to leave enough time before your event for planning
• Do you need to contact:
  • Taxi council/companies?
  • Pedestrian/cyclist organisations?
  • Public transport operators?
  • Coach operators?
  • State Agencies, such as VicRoads, Main Roads, or NSW RTA
  • Your local council?
  • Police and emergency services?
  • Environment Agency?
  • Resident Groups?
  • Business Council?

Auditing Your Event/Venue

Selecting a Venue

• Is the venue close to public transport services, such as rail or buses?
• Will you be organising lunches or evening entertainment related to your event?
• How will people travel to these?
• Could you organise a shuttle bus, a coach service, or include free public transport tickets with registration?
• Are bicycle racks available?
• Is access good for pedestrians?

Special Event Types

• What kind of event are you organising?
• large scale on-street events, such as a street festival, cycle race or triathlon;
• large scale off-street events, such as a sports events at a stadium;
• small scale on-street event, such as a local street party in a residential area; or
• small scale off-street events, such as a conference, or seminar.

Event Characteristics

• What type of event are you organising? Is it a sports event, a music festival, a conference or a different type of event?
• What day of the week will the event be held?
• What time will the event start and finish?
• How many people will come to the event?
• Where do these people live?
• What age group are they?
• How do they normally travel?

Pedestrian Facilities

• If your event is to be held outside, check that the ground is not slippery
• If your event is being held on the street, check enough space is provided for people to walk past
• Identify obstacles and safety hazards
• Identify potential bottlenecks where lots of people will have to fit into a small area
• Identify any areas that have poor lighting or security issues for pedestrians
• Have you marked all pedestrian facilities on your access map?

Cyclist Facilities

• Count the number of parking spaces for cyclists
• Note the location of the racks (make a quick sketch diagram)
• Note whether each rack is covered from the sun and rain
• Note whether each rack will be supervised during the event
• Note whether lockers are provided for bags
• Note whether showers or changing facilities will be available
• Note the location of the nearest cycle routes - you may have to refer to cycling maps available from your local cycling group or Local Council for this information

Public transport Facilities

• The location of the nearest public transport stops
• The routes that service each of the stops
• Note the start and finish times of services
• Note the usual time between services
• Note whether the public transport stop has a shelter and how much room is available around the stop
• Work out how long it takes to get from the public transport stop nearest to your venue and the nearest interchanges or major destinations
• Note safe walking routes from bus stops/railway stations
• Are bus stops attractive and well lit?
• Could public transport operators set up 'real-time' timetable information for your event?

Access for People with Mobility or Visual Impairments

• Are there any stairs without lifts, or other barriers to wheelchair users on the main routes between your venue and public transport stops?
• Does your venue have very slippery floors, such as marble?
• Are there any safety hazards or obstacles?
• Are there any steep ramps, or stairs at the entrance or within the venue?
• Are walkways wide enough for wheelchairs?
• Do you have staff to assist people with mobility or visual impairments?
• Where are disabled parking spaces located and how may are there?
• Can you negotiate a public transport stop at the front of your venue?

Car Parking

• The type and location of car parking in the vicinity (usually within about 800m walking distance) of the event location
• Is parking on-street (kerbside) or off-street (i.e. in a multi-storey car park)?
• Is it paid parking, or free? If it is paid, how much does it cost?
• How many spaces are available in the vicinity of the site and how far from the venue is it?
• Do the parking areas close at certain times?
• Are there parking spaces at the front of the venue? If so, could they be replaced with a public transport stop or taxi rank?

Objectives, Targets and Indicators

• Have you set your objectives? Do they relate to results of the site audit?
• Have you set your targets? Are they Specific Measurable Achievable and Realistic?
• Have you identified the 'key performance indicators' that will track progress towards targets?
• Could you identify a 'baseline' through a survey?
• Are your targets and objectives aligned to the planning policies of your local council and state government?

Potential Measures

Pedestrian Facilities

• Have you marked pedestrian routes on your access map?
• Have you used walk times, rather than distances? - Times are more effective in journey planning
• Are pedestrian routes good quality?
• Are there any 'missing links', such as missing pedestrian crossings at busy roads?
• Have you organised queuing facilities at stations, or other places where pedestrians may have to wait?
• Could you arrange for staff to entertain and inform waiting pedestrians?
• Could you provide televisions at queue points to inform and keep people relaxed? - You may be able to subsidise these through advertising or sponsorship
• Do you have staff on hand to answer questions about public transport services and timetables? - You could give staff an information sheet to help them answer questions
• Are queuing areas covered from the sun and rain?
• Have you told people attending the event about the safest pedestrian routes?
• Do you need to contact police about organising temporary crossing facilities?
• Could you contact the State road authority to discuss temporarily making pedestrian crossing times longer at key intersections?
• Do you need to provide mats or floor covers for outside areas?
• Are pedestrian routes well lit if people will be walking to or from your event in the dark?

Cyclist Facilities

• Do you need to provide storage facilities for cyclists on public transport services to your venue?
• Have you got enough bicycle parking facilities for your event?
• Could you provide a 'valet' parking facility for cyclists? - think about offering free tickets to the event to volunteers
• Are bicycle parking facilities
• located in a high visibility area, rather than an unused corner of the site?
• covered from the sun and rain?
• convenient to get to?
• set up for cyclist to access them - with plenty of room for transition from cycling to walking to parking?
• Have you contacted your local cycle clubs, shops or State cycle group?
• Have you publicised your bicycle parking facilities on your site map and all public transport access information?
• Do you have lockers for cyclists to store their helmets?
• Could you arrange with a local shop to offer reduced rate or free bicycle 'tuning'?
• Could local bicycle shops sell common parts such as inner tubes, batteries and lights?
• Have you marked local bicycle routes on your access map?
• Have you told people attending the event about the bicycle routes?

Integrated Ticketing

• Have you contacted your State Planning Agency to discuss the opportunity to provide an integrated ticketing system?
• Have you identified the public transport operators that serve your area?
• Are they public or private organisations?
• Do you know how many people would use integrated transport tickets?
• Do you know how many services will be required?
• Do you know how much the invested service would cost?
• Have you identified the cost-sharing arrangements?
• How will you raise the revenue?
• Have you agreed payment and apportionment mechanisms?
• How will you arrange tickets - will people show their event pass?
• Have you told people attending the event about ticket savings?

Public transport Facilities

• Have you identified the public transport services that serve your venue?
• Have you shown public transport information on your site plan? - Remember to include:
• Stop locations
• Timetable information in a simple format
• Journey times to key destinations, such as rail stations or bus interchanges
• Could you organise an integrated ticket for travel to your event? Remember to:
• Identify the number of people who would use the service
• Identify the service costs and cost-sharing arrangements
• Identify potential sources of revenue (ticket surcharge or Government contribution)
• Confirm the apportionment of revenue to public transport operators
• Do you need a combination ticket for rail and shuttle bus services to your venue? - could you brand the ticket?
• Do you need to organise staff to entertain and inform waiting passengers?
• Would televisions at key points help to inform and relax waiting passengers? - Could you invest in the televisions through advertising or sponsorship?
• Have you given staff a printed summary of timetable information so that they can answer questions?
• Can you locate public transport stops close to the front of your venue?
• Could you investigate opportunities to use 'real-time' timetable information for travel to your event?
• Could you provide 'express' services from key transport hubs? Remember to maintain any existing local services.

Ride Sharing

• Could you arrange a cheaper parking price for people that rideshare?
• Can you arrange a rideshare scheme through the Internet, or create a specific event page on another rideshare website?
• Could you promote ridesharing through the event information line?
• Have you marked ride share spaces close to the event entrance?
• Have you told people attending the event about ride sharing?

Trip Planners

• Will your trip planner be printed, on a website or a telephone service?
• Can you provide a dynamic service that changes if services change?
• Have you identified key public transport hubs, such as rail or bus stations?
• Have you gathered information about services on those routes?
• How will you present the information? - try to use times, not distances
• Do you need to involve stakeholders, such as public transport operators?
• Can you create a special page for your event on your local public transport information line?
• Have you told people attending the event about trip planners?

Taxis

• Could you create temporary taxi ranks close to your site access?
• Have you got signage to direct people to and from taxi facilities?
• Do you need to provide information about facilities to taxi organisations?
• Do you need staff to manage taxi ranks? Could you brand their uniforms?
• Can you include information about taxi services on your site map?

Car Park Management

• Does your local council have a parking strategy for your area?
• Do you have sufficient spaces for people with mobility or visual impairments?
• Do you need satellite parking? If so, remember to provide safe walking routes or public transport services between the parking areas to your event.
• Can you mark ride-share spaces in a high visibility area close to your venue entrance?

Staff Vehicles

• If you need to provide staff vehicles, try to select economical vehicles with lower emissions
• Could you provide bicycles for staff, instead of vehicles?
• Remember to provide cycle parking facilities close to site offices and key destinations around your site

Promotion and Awareness

• When choosing your medium/s, consider:
• Budget - including production costs
• To what extent the TravelSmart message can be included in the general promotion of your event
• Timing - lead time for booking and production, how much notice to give your audience
• Content, graphics, talent, design
• Reaching your target audience - What time of day? How often? Which medium will be most effective?
• Which will make the most impact - a combination of mediums vs. focusing on one or two
• Advertising - paid (guarantees your message appears)
• Public relations, media coverage - free (but you rely on journalists to broadcast your message)
• Demographics of the people attending your event - choose the most appropriate radio station/s, TV stations etc.
• How can you include a sponsor's message or logo, which will help cover your costs of advertising (but not dilute your main message)

Potential Mediums

• Will you be using Radio?
  • Remember to monitor the message!
• Will you be using promoting your event using television?
  • Have you included your transport brand?
  • Have you included details of the public transport information line?
  • Have you included details of the website?
  • When is your preferred broadcast time?
• Will you be using the Internet?
  • Have you put transport information in a prominent position on the web site?
  • Have you provided an emphasis on public transport?
  • Have you linked your site to local public transport information lines?
  • Have you included the website address on your promotion material?
• Will you be using mail or print?
  • Where can you leave the leaflets that people coming to your event will see them?
  • Can you include your access maps with event tickets?
  • Make sure that your information doesn't become out of date because of service changes
• Will you be using newspapers?
  • Have you included your transport brand?
  • Have you included details of the public transport information line?
  • Have you included details of the website?
  • Can you include diagrams or images to help convey your message?
• Will you be using Magazines?
  • Remember that magazines can have a longer 'lead' time for production
• Will you be using a Hotline?
  • Could you use a toll-free number to promote the event and answer travel questions?
  • Have you included your hotline number on promotional material?
  • Are staff well trained and able to cope with anticipated demands?

Branding

• Remember to keep colours, fonts, graphics and symbols constant to increase recognition.
• Can you apply your brand to the uniforms of staff?
• Could you use a slogan to reinforce your message?
• Can public transport services be marked with your brand or transport logo?

Producing Publicity Material

• Keep the message clear and simple: 'it will be easy by public transport, hard by car'
• Try to use positive and negative phrases to reinforce your message. Here are some public transport messages:
• To the door
• A great way to go
• Cheap
• Fast
• Easy
• Effective
• Enjoy a second drink Here are some car messages:
• Limited parking
• Arrive early
• Distance to venue
• May be congested
• Cost

Access Maps

• Can you use pictograms to make your access map easier to understand?
• Have you marked all pedestrian facilities on your map?
• Have you marked all cyclist facilities on your map?
• Have you marked all public transport facilities on your map? Remember to use travel times instead of distances
• Can you include your access map with event tickets?

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Last modified Tuesday, 26-Sep-2006 16:01:19 EST

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